Caught in the Act
by Bits And Pieces
Summary: One of Newkirk's talents lands him in trouble. Please R&R!
1. A suspicion confirmed

Thought I'd try my hand at something more suspenseful. This is actually the first story idea I came up with last spring. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Hogan's Heroes characters. Friedrich Wagner is my own creation, and any resemblance he may have to anyone, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

* * *

He sat at his desk; absently drumming his fingers on the report he had just received from headquarters. He knew he was going to get called to task for this; ordered to stand in front of his superiors, told to explain something that he had no explanation for. And what would they do to him? Demote him? Send him to the Russian Front?

_How? _Friedrich Wagner, Gestapo Captain, thought to himself for the umpteenth time. _How could the Allies have gotten their hands on the information I was carrying?_

Suddenly he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it down on the desk with a loud "Thwack!" _It's impossible! I had those papers in a briefcase chained to my wrist! The only time they left my side was at Stalag Thirteen; but I put them in the Kommandant's safe myself! _

He thought back to his trip two weeks ago, when he had been travelling from Berlin to Dusseldorf; a courier for the top brass, the information in his possession classified Top Secret. He didn't know what was contained in the briefcase anchored to his wrist, but he knew he was to guard it with his life.

On his way across the country, it started to snow; and then, almost instantly, a storm descended upon him; making his trip more and more difficult. As the sun set and the dim light receded, the storm broke out into a full-blown blizzard. He couldn't see twenty feet in front of him, and was trying desperately to figure out what to do, when he noticed a prison camp just up ahead. Gratefully, he turned in, and after the guards let him through, he headed for the main office.

Once inside, he found himself face-to-face with a Luftwaffe Colonel named Klink; a rather nervous fellow, but more than willing to accommodate him. He was told that the Gestapo was always welcome, and that he could use the guest quarters for the night, which he thankfully accepted. He had suddenly realized that the briefcase was still attached to his wrist, and became uncomfortable at the thought of sleeping without being able to keep his eyes on it, when Colonel Klink suggested he keep it in his office safe for the night. Wagner had acquiesced, and after the Kommandant opened the safe, he unlocked the handcuff from his wrist, and placed the entire thing inside. He watched as the Colonel closed and locked it, and then headed off to the guest quarters, a Sergeant Schultz showing him the way.

When he woke up, the storm had passed. He got up, dressed quickly, and headed to Colonel Klink's office to retrieve his briefcase. The Colonel opened the safe for him, and he saw that the case was in there, exactly as he'd left it the night before. He removed it from the safe and chained it to his wrist once more. Then he left; getting into his car and heading for Dusseldorf.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. He had arrived in Dusseldorf just in time to deliver the information to the high-ranking Generals that were holding a secret meeting there. With his mission accomplished, he had grabbed a bite to eat and rested up for a bit, before getting in his car and driving back to Berlin.

And then today he had received the report that was now sandwiched between his fist and the top of his desk; staring up at him accusingly, and he knew he was in very serious trouble.

According to the report, they'd had a ship in Norway that was carrying German atomic research material, and the information contained in the briefcase he'd been transporting revealed not only the location of the ship, but a detailed list of what was on board. The Allies had apparently obtained that information, because two days ago, the ship had been sunk by British and Norwegian commandos. (1)

And they were blaming him!

_It's not possible! _He thought, yet again. _No one could have seen what was in that briefcase; not while I was carrying it, anyway. _And then it dawned on him; could someone have gotten into Colonel Klink's safe, and made a copy? But that would be the work of a spy, and Stalag Thirteen was a prison camp! Certainly none of the prisoners could be responsible; which left the Kommandant himself.

_I wonder… could Colonel Klink be a spy? _He mulled it over briefly, and then dismissed the idea. _No, he doesn't have the temperament for it._ He was contemplating, trying to remember something; something that he'd heard from Major Hochstetter at one of those dreadful excuses for a party that the Gestapo periodically threw; something about a Stalag, and suspicious activity occurring there. Was it Stalag Thirteen? It did sound familiar, come to think of it. Well, there was one way to find out. He picked up the phone and called the Major's office.

"Ja, this is Major Hochstetter speaking," a familiar gruff voice stated through the receiver.

"This is Captain Wagner, Herr Major," he said, "I am…reorganizing a number of files here at Berlin Headquarters, and I need some information from you regarding Stalag Thirteen."

"Why, has something happened?" Hochstetter asked suspiciously.

"Not at all, Herr Major," he coolly responded. I am simply verifying the accuracy of our records. Now, if you could tell me what you have reported so far about the activities going on there; I just need to check it against our files here."

"You want to know what's been going on at Stalag Thirteen?" Hochstetter exclaimed heatedly, "I'll tell you what's going on there!"

As he listened to Hochstetter go over every incident, real or imagined, that he had presumably witnessed there, an idea began to form in his brain, and he slowly smiled.

* * *

"Aw, c'mon Schultzie, how much longer do we 'ave to bleedin' stand 'ere?" Newkirk asked loudly, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Yeah, Schultz," Carter piped up from the back row, "I'm freezing!"

"Oui, me too!" LeBeau added, practically jumping up and down in an effort to keep warm.

Schultz looked at them guiltily. "I'm sorry, but you have to wait for the Kommandant to dismiss you," he said, with more than a little sympathy.

"But we didn't even get to finish our dinner!" LeBeau exclaimed, "Why did Klink have to have a roll call now, anyway?"

"I don't know, cockroach," Schultz answered, "I only know that he wanted you all out here right away."

"But we're all 'ere, aren't we, Schultzie?" Newkirk informed him; hugging himself, rubbing his hands up and down his upper arms. "Why don't you tell the Kommandant that, and let us go back into the barracks to thaw out?"

Just then Colonel Klink came out of his office, and walked swiftly to where the prisoners were lined up. "Report, Schultz!" He shouted, obviously in a hurry.

Schultz turned to Klink and saluted. "Kommandant," he stated, "All prisoners are present and accounted for."

"Very well," Klink replied, visibly shivering, "Dismissed…"

The word had barely left his lips when they all heard a car approaching from the gate. Every head turned as one, watching it roll up to the front of Klink's office and stop. The driver's side opened, and out stepped a Gestapo Captain, who immediately looked in their direction.

Klink shot a quick glance at Colonel Hogan, who had been quietly standing in his usual spot, and repeated irritably, "Dismissed!" He turned around and headed for his office, wondering what else he was going to have to endure before the day was over.

As the men returned to the barracks, Hogan ushered the four that worked directly under him into his office. Kinch went straight for the coffee pot, plugging it in so they could listen to Klink's office. The rest of them circled around, waiting to hear what a Gestapo Captain was doing there at this time of night.

"…And I was hoping that you wouldn't mind putting me up for the night; just one more time?" They heard a familiar voice say.

"Not at all, Captain Wagner!" Klink exclaimed nervously. "In fact, I see you have another briefcase with you; would you like to keep it in my safe overnight?"

"That's very kind of you, Colonel Klink," Wagner responded. "I would appreciate that very much."

"Hey," Carter said to the group, "Isn't that the Captain who showed up here two weeks ago, during that big snow storm?"

"Yeah," Kinch answered, recognizing the voice, "We got some pretty valuable information from him last time, didn't we, Colonel?"

"Yes we did, Kinch," Hogan replied, "And it looks like he's leaving some more goodies for us in the safe tonight. Newkirk?" He said, turning to look at his English Corporal, "You think you could slip over to Klink's office later, and find out what the Captain is carrying with him?"

Newkirk smiled. "No problem, sir. Klink's safe and I; well, we've got an understandin' between us, you know?" He gave Hogan a wink.

Hogan smiled back. "I know, Newkirk. That's why I keep you around!"

* * *

Later that night, when the camp was quiet, and everyone appeared to be fast asleep, Newkirk crept out of the barracks and moved stealthily toward Klink's office. He waited until the searchlights had swung the other way, having their pattern memorized a long time ago, and quickly unlocked the outside door. He slipped in unnoticed, closing the door behind him. Then he snuck quietly into Klink's inner office, and moved over to the safe against the wall to his left.

He put his ear to the front of the safe, and spun the dial. "It's just me again," he whispered, "You remember ol' Peter Newkirk, don't you? Now, you just hold still; this won't hurt a bit…"

He turned the dial, concentrating on hearing the tumblers inside. A faint sound reached his ear, and he stopped and turned the dial the other way, listening intently. After another quiet click, he turned the knob back. Finally he heard last tumbler fall into place, and grabbed the latch, swinging open the door to the safe. Smiling, he grabbed the briefcase nestled inside, and stood up; then walked over to Klink's desk, depositing his prize on top of it. He opened the case easily, using his lock picks, and pulled out the papers contained within; spreading them out on the desk. In his coat pocket was a small camera, which he now extracted to take pictures of the information that lay before him.

Suddenly the door leading to Klink's quarters flew open. Newkirk whirled around, and his heart instantly sank into his stomach. There stood Captain Wagner, holding a pistol aimed directly at his chest.

Wagner looked at him furiously. "So, you're the reason that I'm in all this trouble!"

* * *

(1) This incident actually happened on February 20th, 1944; at least, according to my WWII calendar. The circumstances leading up to it; however, were entirely made up by me.

5


	2. No way out

Newkirk's mind was racing; how was he going to get out of this one? _Don't panic, _he told himself, _stay calm…c'mon, you can bloody do this!_

"Who, me?" Newkirk asked, looking at Wagner innocently, while secretly slipping the camera back into his pocket. "I just got 'ere meself, sir. As a matter of fact, I saw someone sneakin' out of Klink's office not two minutes ago, and thought I'd come over and 'ave a look. Oh, and I found this briefcase on the desk 'ere," he said, nodding his head toward it, "Is it yours?"

"Enough!" Wagner yelled, his face turning red with fury. "I'm not a fool! I've been standing on the other side of that door all night," he continued, waving his arm behind him to indicate the door leading to Klink's quarters, "And the only one who has been in this office is you!"

Fear shot through Newkirk and he swallowed hard as the realization struck him; this whole thing was a trap!

Wagner lowered his voice. "You've put me in a terrible position, you know," he said angrily, "That information you stole from me two weeks ago; they're blaming me for letting it fall into the hands of the Allies." He took a step forward, keeping his pistol aimed steadily at Newkirk. "You are a spy, and I'm sure you are aware of what we do to spies. Perhaps I should save myself a lot of trouble and shoot you right now!" He glared at Newkirk for a moment, and then walked over to the door that led to the outer office, keeping his sights on the Corporal. He reached over and flicked on the light switch; illuminating the pile of papers scattered across Klink's desk, the empty briefcase lying next to them, and the door to the safe hanging wide open.

Newkirk blinked rapidly for a moment when the light hit his eyes, and then got a good look at Captain Wagner. He was tall, about Colonel Hogan's height, had a rather slim build, and his light brown hair was already beginning to recede at the top. He wore glasses that made him look old, but he suspected that Wagner wasn't much older than himself. But what scared him; really scared him, was the sheer anger and determination emanating from his eyes. He knew he was in big trouble; and this time, there didn't seem to be a way out.

Wagner spoke up; his voice calm now. "But I have a better idea, Englander," he stated, "I'm going to take you in to Gestapo Headquarters for questioning. I know a certain Major Hochstetter who would be very interested to know what happened here."

At the mention of Hochstetter, Newkirk felt himself break out in a cold sweat.

"And when my superiors hear about this," Wagner added, "I should be in the clear, Ja?" He approached the desk, motioning for Newkirk to back away. When he got there, he reached over and grabbed the briefcase, unlocking the handcuffs that were still dangling from the handle. "Hold out your arms!" He ordered, stepping in front of Newkirk. He slapped the cuffs on Newkirk's wrists, and then proceeded to put his papers back in the case. After he closed and locked the case, he placed it back in the safe and closed the door, latching it shut. Then he gestured toward the door with his gun, and Newkirk walked out of the office; Wagner right behind him.

* * *

Carter was awake; lying on his bunk, staring up at the bottom of the rack above him. He had heard Newkirk slip out earlier, on his way to raid Klink's safe, and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until Newkirk was back safe and sound. As the minutes ticked by, he started to become concerned; it didn't usually take this long, did it? He waited another minute, and then got up and went to the door, opening it just a crack until he could see across the compound to Klink's office. His eyes widened as he noticed the light radiating from the window of the building, and his concern turned to panic. He wheeled around and raced to Colonel Hogan's quarters, flinging open the door without a second thought.

"Colonel!" Carter shouted, his voice sounding shaky, "Colonel, wake up! Newkirk's in trouble!"

Hogan's eyes flew open. He instantly sat up, and swung his legs over the top bunk, stealing himself for the jump to the floor. As he landed, he asked, "What's wrong, Carter?"

"There's a light on in Klink's office, and Newkirk's still over there!"

Hogan set a personal best for getting dressed in a hurry. He flew out of his quarters and, upon reaching the barrack's door to the outside, jerked it open and headed quickly over to the Kommandant's office. As he neared the steps, he saw Newkirk exiting the outer door, followed closely by Captain Wagner. And then he noticed something else, something that made his blood freeze faster than the zero-degree temperature outside; Newkirk had handcuffs on!

"What's going on, here?" Hogan demanded, directing his attention to Wagner, "What are you doing with my Corporal?"

"Ah, you must be the famous Colonel Hogan I've heard so much about!" Wagner exclaimed. A cold smile appeared on his face for a brief moment, and then was gone. "I think you know what's going on, Colonel. I caught this man breaking into Klink's safe, and I intend to take him in for questioning."

Hogan looked at Newkirk; saw the fear in his eyes that he was trying desperately to mask, and felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. He knew he had to stop Captain Wagner from taking Newkirk out of camp.

Just then Sergeant Schultz rounded the corner of the building. He'd been making his rounds, and when he saw the three men standing in front of Klink's office, he hurried over to them.

"Colonel Hogan, Captain Wagner…" Schultz called out, then caught sight of the cuffs on Newkirk's wrists, and inhaled sharply. "Newkirk! Was ist los?"

"Schultz, go get Colonel Klink," Hogan said, glancing at him. Then he turned his attention to Wagner. "You can't just waltz out of here with one of my men, Captain," he challenged, "Not without clearing it through Klink."

"Colonel Hogan," Wagner shot back, "You should know by now that the Gestapo can do anything it wants. I certainly don't need Colonel Klink's permission…or yours!"

Schultz was halfway to Klink's quarters when the Kommandant himself opened the door and stepped out, looking in the direction of the commotion going on in front of his office. He quickly strode over to the small group, while Schultz turned and followed him, saying; "Kommandant, Colonel Hogan wants to see you. He's talking to Captain Wagner, and Newkirk is there also, and he has handcuffs on!"

"I can see for myself, Schultz!" Klink shouted irritably at the Sergeant. As he walked up to the men who were gathered at the bottom of the stairs leading to his office, he exclaimed, "Will someone please tell me what's going on? It's one o'clock in the morning!"

"I will, Colonel," Hogan spoke up first, "This Gestapo Captain wants to take Newkirk out of camp, but I told him that he can't do that without your approval, and he's got no reason to…"

"I have every reason, Colonel," Wagner interrupted, addressing Klink. "This man was acting suspiciously."

"What was he doing?" Klink asked.

"He was…rummaging through your office, Kommandant." Wagner lied.

Hogan shot a suspicious glance at Wagner, wondering what he was up to.

Klink looked at Newkirk. "Corporal Newkirk, is that true?"

"To be honest, sir," Newkirk answered, "I was only lookin' for some extra paper to write a letter to the Red Cross. I wanted to tell 'em to stop puttin' sardines in the boxes; they're givin' me ruddy indigestion!"

"Well, if that's all he was doing," Klink replied, looking back at Wagner, "I hardly think it's necessary to take him to…"

"Colonel Klink," Wagner responded curtly, "My job is to investigate suspicious activity. Now, if you're going to defend this man's actions, I may consider that suspicious as well. Surely you don't want to come to Gestapo Headquarters with us, do you?"

Klink's eyes widened. "No, of course not, Captain!"

"Then I suggest you retrieve my briefcase, and we'll be on our way."

"Certainly, Captain Wagner," Klink said nervously, "I'll get it for you right away!" He turned and headed up the stairs, and into his office.

_So much for Klink's help! _Hogan thought, frustrated but not surprised.

When Klink was out of earshot, Hogan looked at Wagner and his eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you tell Klink about the safe?"

"Because I'm not about to share the credit for capturing this spy." Wagner answered.

"He's not a spy!" Hogan exclaimed, a note of desperation in his voice. He was beginning to realize that he wasn't going to be able to stop Wagner from taking Newkirk away.

"Oh come now, Colonel Hogan," Wagner said calmly. "If half of what Major Hochstetter has told me is true about you, and I suspect it is, I should be taking _you_ in for questioning as well."

"That's fine with me, Captain," Hogan replied, "Besides, according to the Geneva Convention, I'm allowed to be present when you interrogate one of my men." _If I can't keep Newkirk here, _Hogan thought to himself, _then I'm going with him. _

Wagner smiled. "The Gestapo is not so concerned about the Geneva Convention, Colonel. And since your Corporal here is the only one I actually caught in Klink's office, he's the only one I need to question…for now."

Just then Klink returned, carrying Wagner's briefcase. As he handed it to him, he asked, clearly still nervous, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Captain?"

"No thank you, Colonel Klink," Wagner told him, "That will be all." He walked over to his car followed by Klink, who was still trying to placate him, and opened the front seat; leaning in to put the briefcase on the passenger side.

As soon as Wagner's head disappeared into the car, Newkirk sidled up to Hogan and glanced down at his coat pocket. "Colonel, the camera!" He hissed at him.

Hogan immediately understood. He thrust his hand into Newkirk's pocket and pulled out the camera, which he then stuffed quickly into his own.

Wagner finished what he was doing and straightened up, turning to look at Hogan and Newkirk. He opened the door to the back seat and said, "Get in, Corporal."

Hogan grabbed Newkirk's arm quickly and gave it a squeeze. He stared intensely into his frightened eyes and told him in a low voice, "Don't worry, we'll get you out of there."

"I hope so, gov'nor," Newkirk whispered back, then walked over to the car and slid into the back seat.

Wagner shut the car door, and then climbed into the driver's seat. He started up the car and headed towards the gate.

Hogan watched him drive away, a lump forming in his throat, resisting the urge to run after him and drag Newkirk out of the car before they left camp. He turned to look at Klink, who had come up to stand next to him. "Colonel, how could you let Captain Wagner just take Newkirk away like that?" He snapped at him, angry now.

"I'm sorry Colonel Hogan, but I had no choice!" Klink answered defensively. "Besides," he added in that scolding tone of his, "Newkirk shouldn't have been out of the barracks in the first place, and you know it."

Hogan glared at him for a moment, and then turned and walked to the barracks, not even waiting for Klink to dismiss him. As he entered, he saw his remaining men clustered near the entrance; no doubt they'd had the door open a crack, and had watched the entire thing.

"What happened, Colonel?" Carter was the first to ask, "Why did Captain Wagner take Newkirk with him when he left?"

"Because he caught Newkirk in Klink's office with the safe open!" Hogan practically yelled. "And it's my fault…I should have gone over there with him…I never should have sent him alone!"

"Colonel, you can't blame yourself," Kinch said. "If you'd gone to the office with Newkirk, then Captain Wagner would be taking you away, too."

"At least Newkirk wouldn't be facing the Gestapo by himself." Hogan let out a big sigh, and then a look of grim determination came over him. "Alright, here's what we're gonna do," he stated, "Kinch, I want you to contact the underground and ask them to have somebody watch Gestapo Headquarters. I want to know the minute Wagner shows up there with Newkirk."

"Yes, sir," Kinch replied, and headed for the bunk that opened up to the tunnels below.

"LeBeau, I want you to check our Gestapo uniforms; see if we have one for a high-ranking General."

"Oui, Colonel," LeBeau said, turning to follow Kinch. Suddenly he looked back at Hogan. "Colonel, what if we don't have a General's uniform?"

"Do you think you could make one by tomorrow night?" Hogan asked him.

"If you need it to save Newkirk, I will finish it tonight!" LeBeau exclaimed.

Hogan gave him a small smile. "Thanks, LeBeau," he replied.

"What about me, Colonel?" Carter asked, anxious to help get his friend back.

"Carter, I'm going to want some explosives with timers on them; set for five minutes. And I also want some smoke bombs…think you can do it?"

"They'll be ready when you are, sir!" Carter said excitedly as he took off after Kinch and LeBeau.

_And now we wait. _And Hogan found that to be the hardest part of all.

* * *

The hours passed excruciatingly slowly, and still they hadn't heard anything. Hogan was pacing the floor in the main barracks; working out the details in his head as to how they were going to rescue Newkirk. LeBeau and Carter were seated at the long table in the middle of the room, trying not to look as worried as they felt. LeBeau had discovered earlier that they had the perfect Gestapo uniform in their collection, and Carter had already assembled the explosives.

Suddenly the false bottom bunk banged up, and Kinch climbed out. Hogan stopped pacing and looked at him expectantly.

"Colonel, I just got word from the underground," Kinch informed him, "Captain Wagner arrived at Gestapo Headquarters a few minutes ago."

"It's about time, Kinch!" He exclaimed, relieved. "They should have gotten there over an hour ago!"

"Uh, there's something else, Colonel," Kinch said quietly.

Hogan took one look at Kinch's worried expression, and a feeling of dread passed through him. "What is it, Kinch?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"The underground said that the Captain showed up alone…Newkirk wasn't with him."

7


	3. An ulterior motive

Sorry it took me a while to update! This story is going to take me some time to write; partly because I'm really trying to improve my writing skills with this one, and partly because real life keeps interrupting! (Dang, I hate it when that happens!) :D

Oh, and for anyone who's interested, I got that WWII calendar that I mentioned in chapter one at Barnes & Noble. It's called, "World War II, A Day By Day History, by Silver Lining. It's a 2009 calender, and every day has some event mentioned on it that happened on that date back in WWII.

Anyway, here's chapter three (finally!) Hope you like it!

* * *

Newkirk sat quietly in the back seat of the car, staring out the window. He could just make out the shapes of the trees nearest to the road as Captain Wagner drove by them in the darkness. He was trying to hold out hope that Colonel Hogan would rescue him, but the scene from Klink's office kept replaying in his head, diminishing his optimism with every mile they travelled further from Stalag Thirteen. _He knew! _He thought to himself as he stole a glance at the back of Wagner's head. _He bloody knew we've been sneakin' information from Klink's safe! _He shifted in his seat and went back to watching the countryside. There wasn't much to see in the darkness; whatever moonlight was available had been blotted out by a thick cloud cover. He sighed inwardly; if he had to be hauled off to what was looking more and more like the end of the line for him, why couldn't it have been during the day? At least he could have spent his last hours enjoying the view from the car instead of sitting there, being whisked away through the black night, with nothing to keep his mind off the fate that awaited him.

Captain Wagner kept his eyes resolutely on the road in front of him, relieved that the Corporal in the back seat was keeping his mouth shut. He was in no mood to talk to him; his anger at being taken advantage of still burning strong. He had every intention of turning him over to Major Hochstetter when they reached Gestapo Headquarters; all that mattered to him now was to clear his name. Then he could go back to his current job; working in the files room at the headquarters in Berlin, occasionally being sent out as a courier because of his top secret clearance…and more or less ignored.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him. Once his superiors received word that he had captured a spy all by himself, they might decide to take him away from his clerical duties and place him in a more active role in the Gestapo; helping to capture spies, assisting in interrogations; perhaps even performing executions.

And that's exactly what he'd been trying to avoid!

He gripped the steering wheel tighter, his anger bubbling up anew. _How could I have missed that? _He chided himself, wondering what else he had neglected to consider. He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw the Englander staring out the window, and even in the darkness he could make out the utter despair radiating from his face. _Serves him right for getting me into all this!_ He thought furiously, trying to come up with a solution to this latest development, but nothing seemed to be forthcoming. Oh, if only he could just keep driving; away from the Gestapo, away from Germany, away from everything that was his life here.

_It never gets any better, does it?_

And then something else that had been hiding in the back of his thoughts made its presence known, and he grabbed onto it like a drowning man reaching for a lifeboat, prompting him to look once again into the back seat at the Corporal.

_He had that safe open in less than two minutes…_

Wagner suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped. He turned around to look at Newkirk, bringing his gun up as well, and asked bluntly, "How good are you?"

Newkirk looked at him, confused. "Beggin' your pardon, sir?"

"Opening safes!" Wagner exclaimed; sounding irritated, "How good are you? And don't lie to me," he added menacingly, "Or I'll shoot you right now, and then go back to your camp and shoot Colonel Hogan, too!"

At the mention of Colonel Hogan, Newkirk's eyes widened. _This bloke's not gettin' his hands on the gov'nor; not if I can 'elp it! _

"Well, I'm not an expert, if that's what you're gettin' at," Newkirk admitted nervously.

Wagner appeared to be mulling it over. "What about a bank vault? Could you open one of those?"

Newkirk shook his head. "Sorry, that's a bit out of my league," he answered, wondering why Wagner was even asking him, "I'd need explosives for that, and even then they'd 'ave to be placed just right, or they might burn up everythin' inside. Very messy business, that."

Wagner looked disappointed for a moment, and then another idea began to form. "A jewelry store safe, perhaps?" He suggested.

Newkirk had become very suspicious by now. "It would depend on the safe," he responded slowly, his eyes narrowing.

Wagner smiled. "I have an acquaintance who owns a jewelry store, and his safe is very similar to the one in Klink's office. He's going out of town in three days…do you think you could open it?"

Newkirk's eyes flew open wide as he realized what Wagner was suggesting, and looked at him incredulously. "Blimey!" He exclaimed, "Are you askin' me to rob a safe for you?"

Wagner kept his gaze steady. "If you do, I may consider taking you back to Stalag Thirteen, and forgetting all about what happened in Colonel Klink's office."

Newkirk couldn't believe what he was hearing! Is this what Wagner had planned the whole time? Why he had lied to Klink about what he was doing in his office? Just so he could use him for his own criminal ambition?

Newkirk inwardly shook his head. _He's 'round the bend if he thinks I'd bloody 'elp him! _He thought stubbornly. But if he didn't, he was certain to be shot as a spy. Then again, what would stop Wagner from shooting him anyway once he got what he wanted? As he debated what to do, another thought occurred to him; if he went along with it, it might at least buy him some time. _And it beats dancin' with the ruddy Gestapo, doesn't it? _

"I might be able to open it, Captain," Newkirk answered at last.

"That's all I wanted to know." Wagner said, and then he turned around and started up the car, pulling back onto the road.

He drove for about ten minutes, searching for landmarks in the dark, until he saw what he was looking for; an inconspicuous dirt road leading off to the right. Wagner slowed the car and tuned on to it. After about a quarter of a mile, his headlights illuminated a small farmhouse directly ahead. He pulled up to the front of it and stopped; turning off the car. After he reached over to the front passenger's side to retrieve his briefcase, he got out, and went to hold the door open for Newkirk.

Newkirk was very worried by now. He had no idea what else Wagner had planned for him, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good. He scooted out of the car and started to walk toward the front door of the house where the Captain was pointing. As soon as Wagner shut the car door, Newkirk heard him walk up behind him, and steeled himself for the inevitable shove; followed by, "Get going, schnell!", that was sure to follow; a particular favorite among the Gestapo.

But it never came. Wagner just stepped around him and headed for the door to open it, warily keeping an eye on him.

Once inside, Wagner led Newkirk through a short hallway and to a door which led to the cellar below. Before climbing down, he grabbed a kerosene lamp that was hanging on the wall, pulled out some matches from his pocket, and lit the wick; instantly illuminating the dark stairway. He gestured for Newkirk to go first. When they had reached the bottom, he directed the Corporal to a small room in the back that had a thick, heavy door standing open in front of it.

As Newkirk entered, the first thing he noticed was an old, worn out cot against the far wall, and a small square table, accompanied by one chair, near the door. There was also a window high up against the outside wall near the ceiling; just big enough to let in a tiny amount of light from the outside. Newkirk walked over to the cot and turned around to look at Wagner, trying to remember the last time he'd been this scared.

Wagner stared back at Newkirk, once again noticing the fear that had taken up permanent residence in the Englishman's eyes. His anger drained away at last, and a pang of guilt hit him over what he was doing.

"You can relax, Corporal…Newkirk, is it?" Wagner said calmly, trying to reassure him, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Newkirk wanted desperately to believe him. "Why'd you bring me 'ere, then?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"I have to keep you somewhere for a few days," Wagner answered, "Just until you're able to…take care of that business I mentioned. Besides," he continued, "You don't really want me to turn you over to Major Hochstetter, do you?" He flashed him a genuine smile, and then gestured with his hand toward the cot behind Newkirk. "Why don't you have a seat; I'll be back in a few minutes." With that he turned and left, shutting the heavy door and locking it from the outside.

Newkirk didn't know what to think. From the moment Wagner had caught him in Klink's office, the Captain had been yelling at him, pointing a gun at him, threatening to shoot him, and now suddenly he was being almost…pleasant. He sat down heavily on the cot, wondering if it would have been better to have been taken to Gestapo Headquarters after all.

A few minutes later he heard the latch on the door being pulled back, and it swung open. Captain Wagner entered with a tray of food in one hand and a thick blanket in the other. He set the tray down on the table and tossed the blanket onto the cot next to Newkirk. "It gets cold down here, especially at night," he said, then added, "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you something to eat." He glanced over at the table and then back to Newkirk. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you here for a while," he told him, "I still need to report to headquarters, and let them know that you escaped." He smiled again, giving him a wink, and then left; once again locking the door behind him.

Newkirk sat there, listening to Wagner's footsteps going up the stairs, the door to the cellar swinging shut, the car engine starting, and the tires slowly crunching over the frozen ground; receding into the distance. Then he stood up and began to pace, being able to just make out the contents of the room in the scant light coming through the window. Wagner had of course taken the lamp with him, leaving him in the dark, and still handcuffed, he realized. But thankfully the chain on the cuffs was long enough that it wasn't too restrictive. _Probably thought I'd find a way to bust out of 'ere if he took 'em off! _He thought sarcastically.

As he walked back and forth across the floor, he tried to think of a way out of his predicament. The window was too high, and even if he could get up there, it was too small for him to fit through. The door was heavy, and locked from the outside; which made his lock picks that were still hidden in his uniform useless for any kind of attempt to open it. _Blimey, there doesn't seem to be any way of escapin', does there? _

Frustrated, he went back to the cot and sat down, wondering if there was anything he'd overlooked. The smell of the food suddenly caught his attention, and he felt his stomach rumble. He got up and went over to the table, pulling out the chair and plopping down on it so he could inspect what the Captain had left for him. There was a generously-sized sandwich on the tray; piled high with ham and cheese, and two fresh apples lying next to it. And then he noticed a tall glass just to the left of the apples, and it held something bubbly inside. He reached for the glass and took a sip…it was beer! And a fine tasting one, at that!

He drank half the beer in one gulp, and then started to work on the sandwich; stuffing it into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in a week. When he had finished, he downed the rest of the beer, and grabbed one of the apples. As he bit into it, he started to wonder why Wagner would bring him a meal like this. _Does he want me to keep up me strength, _was his first thought, _so I'll be able to open that bloody safe for 'im? _And then another thought crept in, and suddenly he lost his appetite. _Or is this supposed to be my last meal?_

He put the half-eaten apple back on the tray, and started to pace again. _No matter what 'appens, I'm on me own, aren't I? _He thought in despair. _The gov'nor's never goin' to find me 'ere! _

* * *

"What do you mean, Newkirk wasn't with him?" Hogan asked, not wanting to believe it.

"That's what they told me," Kinch answered, looking as worried as Hogan did.

Hogan thought furiously. "Okay Kinch, go back down and tell the underground to follow Wagner when he leaves Gestapo Headquarters. I want to know what he did with Newkirk!" He turned and headed quickly into his quarters, not wanting the rest of the men to see how upset he was. After he closed the door, he began to pace, trying desperately to think of anything that might help them find Newkirk.

_Dammit Peter, where are you?_

6


	4. The search begins

Sorry it took a while for me to update; real life has been a formidable presense this past week! Anyway, here's chapter 4; I'm sure it's not perfect, but I do hope you like it.

* * *

It was almost time for morning roll call, and Hogan was still pacing in his quarters; consumed with worry over the unknown fate that had befallen Newkirk. What could have happened to him? Had he somehow gotten free from Wagner, and was on his way back here right now? Or had the Captain lost his temper and done something to him along the route to Gestapo Headquarters? Was he hurt? Was he…dead? As Hogan rounded the corner near the window for the thousandth time, he couldn't decide which he hated more; not being able to control the situation, or not knowing what the situation was to begin with.

_Not knowing. _He thought grimly. _That's the worst._

Just then he heard a knock on the door to his quarters. "Come in," he called out, stopping in midstride and looking expectantly toward the door as it opened. Kinch entered, and he could tell by the radioman's expression that it wasn't good news…again.

"Colonel," Kinch decided he better just come right out and tell him, "I received a message from the underground. They were able to have someone follow Wagner when he left Gestapo Headquarters, like you asked."

"And?" Hogan replied, not realizing he had been holding his breath.

Kinch sighed. "He lost him."

"What?" Hogan exhaled forcibly. "How could he lose him? All he had to do was follow Wagner's car!" He could feel his anger surfacing, and a familiar internal struggle ensued while he fought to keep it under control.

"From what they told me," Kinch explained, "When Wagner left, he started heading back towards Stalag Thirteen. Apparently the agent that was following him got a flat tire, and had to stop to change it. By the time he got back on the road, the Captain had a good lead on him. Anyway, the agent kept driving, and eventually made it back here, but there was no sign of Wagner."

Hogan's eyes darkened; he felt like he was about to explode. _This can't be happening!_ He thought, furious. "Kinch," he stated in a low even voice, "You tell the underground…"

At that moment they both heard the outer door to the barracks bang open, and Schultz's voice informing them at alarming decibels that it was time for roll call. Hogan found himself grateful for the intrusion; having realized that what he'd been about to say was both unflattering and unproductive. They hurried out of Hogan's quarters, and went to join the line of men making their way outside; grumbling from the cold that assaulted them as they left the relative warmth of the barracks.

As Hogan took his place in line, painfully aware of the empty spot on his left, he glanced quickly over at LeBeau. The Frenchman looked back, mirroring his worry and frustration. Hogan then looked behind him at Carter, and was met with the same expression, which could only mean that Kinch must have already told them what happened. _They expect me to come up with a plan, _he thought to himself, and then let out a big sigh, _but I just don't know what to do!_

Schultz finished counting them, and to his credit, looked sad when he got to the empty space where Newkirk was supposed to be. Just then the door to Klink's office opened, and the Kommandant stepped out. But before he could take even one step off the porch, a car came driving through the gate.

Hogan looked over and momentarily got a sense of déjà vu; it was a Gestapo car!

_Could it be Wagner? _Hogan found himself thinking, while feelings of anger, hope, and dread vied for top billing of his emotions. _No, _he concluded, disappointed, as he saw the car come closer, _that's not Wagner's car, it's…_ And then his eyes opened wide in recognition; _it's Major Hochstetter!_

The car rolled to a stop in front of Klink's office, and Major Hochstetter got out, looking frustrated and irritable, as usual. He climbed up the stairs to the porch above, and headed straight for Klink.

"Major Hochstetter!" Klink called out nervously, "It's so nice to see you! What brings you to Stalag Thirteen so early in the morning?"

"Colonel Klink," Hochstetter growled, "This isn't a social visit! I need to speak to you in your office right now!"

Klink swallowed hard, unable to mask his growing fear. "Certainly, Major Hochstetter," he replied, "I just need to dismiss the prisoners from roll call first."

"Well, hurry up!" Hochstetter snapped. "I'll be waiting inside." Then he turned and stomped into Klink's office.

Klink strode quickly over to the men, and before Schultz could get one word out to tell him that they were all there, he yelled, "Dismissed!"

As Klink started back towards his office, Hogan caught up to him. "Hey Colonel," he said in his best, "I'm just curious" voice, "What's Major Hochstetter doing here?"

"That's none of your business, Hogan!" Klink exclaimed, obviously not knowing himself, "And as of now," he continued, "You and your men are confined to the barracks until further notice!" Then he headed back to his office before he had to listen to any of the American Officer's protests.

Hogan turned and walked quickly to his quarters. When he arrived, he noticed that his three remaining men were already there. Kinch had just finished setting up the coffee pot, Carter was sitting on the bottom bunk, and LeBeau was standing near the side of his desk. He took a seat on the only chair in the room as they all waited anxiously for the conversation to start.

_"Colonel Klink,"_ Major Hochstetter's voice filtered through the receiver, "_I understand you had a visit from a 'Captain Wagner' last night, Ja?" _

_"Oh, yes, Major Hochstetter,"_ they heard Klink reply, _"He was driving through the area, and asked if he could stay here overnight before continuing on his trip. And since the Gestapo is always welcome here, as you yourself know, naturally I said, 'Yes'."_

_"Naturally,"_ Hochstetter repeated, sounding sarcastic, "_Tell me, Klink, how did he happen to catch the prisoner, Corporal Newkirk, in your office?"_

_"Well, I…I don't know, Major. He never told me what he was doing in here."_

_"I see. And what did he say that Corporal Newkirk was doing when he found him?"_

_"I believe he said that Newkirk was searching my office for something,"_ there was a pause, and Hogan could almost see Klink frowning while he racked his brain, _"Oh, yes, now I remember, Major. The Corporal was looking for extra paper to write a letter." _

"_That's what Wagner told me, too, at Gestapo Headquarters earlier."_

_"I don't understand, Major,"_ Klink was clearly confused, _"Surely Corporal Newkirk mentioned it himself, didn't he? Now, personally, I didn't think it was worth bothering you…"_

_"Klink!"_ Hochstetter yelled so loudly that it made them all jerk back a little from the coffee pot, _"How could the Corporal tell me anything, when that idiot Captain Wagner let him escape!"_

"Newkirk escaped?" Carter exclaimed excitedly, jumping to his feet.

"That's great news!" LeBeau chimed in, sounding relieved.

"Hey, Colonel," Carter looked at him, smiling, "I bet he's on his way back here, and is gonna show up any minute!"

"I hope you're right, Carter," Hogan answered with less enthusiasm; unable to get rid of the feeling that there was still something wrong. "Okay, quiet down fellas; I want to hear what else Hochstetter has to say."

As silence fell over the room, they heard Klink say, _"Corporal Newkirk has escaped?", e_choing what Carter had exclaimed a moment ago; prompting Hogan to shoot a glance at Kinch.

"Are you sure this thing's only one way?" Hogan asked him, smirking.

_"Yes, Klink!" _Hochstetter answered angrily, in that familiar gravelly voice of his. "_And Captain Wagner is in serious trouble for this! He was supposed to call me the minute he found anything suspicious going on here…everyone knows that I'm the one in charge of investigating this camp!"_

_"Major Hochstetter, I had no idea he was supposed to call you!" _Klink was obviously trying to get on the Major's good side._ "If I'd known, I would have course called you myself…"_

_"Klink!" _Hochstetter cut him off, _"I want you to send out every available guard you have to look for Corporal Newkirk this instant!"_

_"But Major, I don't have enough guards to send out of camp for that…I need them here to watch the prisoners…"_

_"If you don't, Klink, I'll hold you personally responsible for the Corporal's escape!"_

_"But Major, Captain Wagner is the one who lost him! You know there has never been an escape from Stalag Thirteen…"_

_"Just do what I tell you, Klink!"_ Hochstetter was positively fuming. _"I've already sent the Captain out to look for him, too. And if the prisoner isn't found, I may just shoot him instead!" _He paused, and then added menacingly, _"And then I'll have you shot, as well. What do you say, Colonel Klink?"_

_"I'll send the guards out right away!" _

Hogan couldn't help smiling; one thing you could count on with Klink; he was predictable!

They heard Major Hochstetter storm out of Klink's office, and Kinch reached over to turn off the coffee pot. As he was putting it away, Hogan looked at him.

"Kinch, I want you to contact the underground and tell them to start searching for Newkirk." Hogan told him. "Have them send out anyone who's available."

"Right, Colonel," Kinch replied, already heading out of Hogan's quarters.

Hogan then turned to his other Sergeant. "Carter, why don't you go down in the tunnel, and watch near the emergency exit; in case Newkirk shows up there?"

"I'm on my way, Colonel!" Carter replied, and then, he too was gone.

"What about me, Mon Colonel?" LeBeau asked.

"LeBeau," Hogan said in a serious tone, "I need you to make some apple strudel."

"What?" LeBeau exclaimed, looking offended. "Why do I always have to hang around here and cook?"

"Because the way to a Schultz's heart is through your cooking!" Hogan answered, smiling at him.

"Yes, sir," LeBeau responded dejectedly. As he left, Hogan heard him mumble, "When did I become Schultz's personal Chef?", and he couldn't help chuckling.

* * *

The day wore on, and there was no sign of Newkirk. None of the guards had found him, the underground hadn't spotted him, and he never did show up on his own. Hogan was beside himself with worry by now, and knew he had to do something; he couldn't stand all this waiting around another minute.

Hogan walked out of the barracks, and looked carefully across the compound. He spotted his intended target, and moved quickly over to him. "Hey, Schultz!" He called out as he approached the rotund guard, "How's the search going?"

"Colonel Hogan," Schultz answered with concern, "You're not supposed to be out of the barracks…you need to go back right away!"

"Aw, c'mon Schultz," Hogan replied nonchalantly, "I just wanted to find out what's going on. Has anyone found Newkirk yet?"

"Not yet, Colonel Hogan," Schultz told him, "And the Kommandant and Major Hochstetter are very angry. As a matter of fact, Colonel Klink is making me go out to look for him myself!"

"Really, Schultz?" Hogan asked, sounding very interested, "Say, I just had an idea! Why don't I come with you? I can help you look!"

"Oh, no, Colonel Hogan, you can't come with me! What if the Kommandant found out? Or Major Hochstetter?" Schultz inhaled sharply at the prospect. "It would be worth my life!"

"No one will find out, Schultz, I promise!" Hogan tried to reassure him, and then threw in the bait. "Besides, if you let me come with you, you can have some of the apple strudel that LeBeau made today."

Schultz's expression changed to one of longing. "Strudel?" He repeated wistfully.

"Yeah, Schultz, LeBeau made plenty. What do you say?"

"What do I say, Colonel Hogan? I say, yes!"

Hogan smiled at him. "Thanks, Schultz."

* * *

An hour later Sergeant Schultz left camp in a truck, Colonel Hogan seated next to him, on his way to search for the still-missing Corporal Newkirk. His stomach was full of apple strudel, and he found himself wishing, not for the first time, that his wife could cook even half as well as the little Frenchman. He knew he shouldn't have let Hogan tag along, but the American Colonel had always managed to keep him out of trouble, so he figured it would be alright.

Schultz followed the road that led toward Gestapo Headquarters; the same route that Wagner would have had to take the previous night. Hogan scrutinized the path ahead of them as they travelled, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, it began to snow, which neither of them had been expecting. After a few more minutes, the snow started falling harder, and they both realized at about the same moment that any further exploration would be futile.

As Schultz turned the truck around to head back to camp, Hogan once again felt powerless; defeated by the weather, and by circumstances that he couldn't control. His heart was slowly breaking over what was looking more and more like the only possible answer; _Newkirk's dead, isn't he? And it's my fault…it's all my fault._

* * *

On their way back to Stalag Thirteen, neither one of them noticed the dirt road leading off to the left; the one with fresh tire tracks on it that was now covered by a thin layer of snow.


	5. A revealing conversation

After leaving Gestapo Headquarters, Captain Wagner started back to the house where he had left Newkirk; driving once again down the main road that led toward Stalag Thirteen. As his car rolled along through the pre-dawn hours, he couldn't help re-playing in his mind how the meeting had gone with Major Hochstetter; which was to say, badly.

Wagner knew that Hochstetter had a temper, not just from the brief conversations he'd had with him, but also from the rumors he'd heard; primarily from the people who dealt with him on a regular basis. Still, he hadn't been prepared for the Major's reaction when he had shown up at Gestapo Headquarters and told him what had transpired in Klink's office, of his capture of Newkirk, and the Corporal's subsequent "escape." The Major's face had turned an interesting shade of red, his eyes had opened wide, and the stream of yelling that had burst from his mouth seemed to shake the very walls of his office. Wagner shuddered just thinking about it; if he'd had any idea of the sheer volume that Hochstetter's voice was able to produce, he certainly would have come up with a different lie! But by then, it had been too late, and all he could do was to wait for him to finish. When at last the Major had ordered him to go search for Corporal Newkirk, he'd flown out of there like the building itself was on fire.

And now, here he was, driving back to the place where the very man that he'd been sent out to find was safely stashed away, and he suddenly smiled. _None of this will matter in a few days; _he thought with growing excitement, _I'll be long gone!_

Once he finally arrived at his destination, he parked the car and headed into the house. After lighting the lamp hanging in the hallway, he immediately made his way to the cellar to check on his "guest"; unlocking the door and pulling it open slowly. As he peeked into the small room, he noticed that Newkirk was lying on the cot, completely wrapped up in the blanket that he had brought him earlier. The Corporal appeared to be sleeping, judging by the snores coming from the large cocoon he'd made for himself. He smiled and then looked over at the tray still sitting on the table; empty but for one and a half apples. _Looks like he was hungry, after all. _He quietly picked up the tray and backed out of the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

When he got upstairs, he suddenly realized how exhausted he was. He took the tray to the kitchen and set it on the counter near the wood stove. He wished, not for the first time, that the house had electricity, but it would be costly to have it done, and he also didn't want to make it obvious that he was more or less living there. So he made do; using the fireplace in the winter to keep warm, eating his main meals at the local restaurants, and stocking the icebox with foods that didn't require cooking. He'd never learned how to cook on a wood stove, and he wasn't about to try to figure it out now!

The house was cold, but he decided not to start up a fire this time; he didn't want to attract any unwanted attention. Instead, he headed off to the bedroom, curled up under the blankets that were piled on top of it, and almost immediately fell asleep.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when Newkirk awoke, momentarily unaware of his surroundings, causing him to sit up quickly; inadvertently throwing the blanket onto the floor. The first thing he noticed was the cuffs on his wrists in front of him, with the 20 centimeter chain holding them together, and he stared at them in confusion. Suddenly it all came flooding back to him. He glanced around the room, being able to see it clearly in the daylight that was filtering in through the only window high up near the ceiling. _Blimey, I could sure use a flippin' cigarette! _Was his first thought as he shook his head to clear out the remnants of sleep that were lurking in the corners of his brain. It was then that he noticed the table by the door, and the absence of the tray that had been there the night before. _So, Wagner's back, is he? I wonder what he's bleedin' got planned for me today. _As he sat there, contemplating every possible scenario he could think of, he heard the latch on the other side of the door opening, and the next thing he knew, Wagner was standing there with another tray in one hand, and a gun in the other.

"Ah, you're awake!" Wagner exclaimed, setting the tray of food on the table, while keeping his gun aimed at Newkirk. "I trust you slept well."

"Well enough," Newkirk answered warily.

"Good!" Wagner sounded almost jovial. "I brought you something more to eat," he said, motioning to the table with his hand, "It's the same thing you had last night, I'm afraid. That's all I have on hand at the moment; I wasn't expecting company, you know!" He smiled at Newkirk and shut the door behind him, moving away from the table to let the Corporal feel more at ease about taking advantage of the meal. But Newkirk just sat on the cot, appearing to scrutinize him.

"So," Newkirk finally piped up, "What _are_ you plannin' to do with me, Captain?"

"I told you," Wagner answered matter-of-factly, "I need you to open a safe for me, and then I'll return you to Stalag Thirteen. That's all."

Newkirk's eyes narrowed. "That's all? How do I know you won't bleedin' shoot me once I've opened the ruddy safe for you?"

"I guess you're just going to have to trust me, aren't you?" Wagner replied, and then added, "Look, I meant what I said last night; I'm not going to hurt you."

"You've got a funny way of convincin' me, mate!" Newkirk exclaimed, looking at the gun and staring pointedly at it for a moment.

"Make no mistake, Corporal," Wagner warned, "If you try anything, I won't hesitate to use this!" He moved his hand up slightly that held the gun, and then calmly responded, "But as long as you cooperate, you don't have anything to worry about."

"Yeah," Newkirk responded sarcastically, "You made that bloody clear last night in the car!"

Wagner smirked. "Well, I hardly think you would have agreed to help me if I'd merely said, 'Please'!"

Newkirk's eyes narrowed. "So this was your plan all along, was it? To use me to bloody steal for you?"

"No, no!" Wagner answered, shaking his head. "I was planning on turning you over to Major Hochstetter. The fact that you're a safecracker, and apparently a good one at that, is what changed my mind." He walked over to the chair next to the table, keeping his gun trained on Newkirk, and sat down, facing him. "By the way, Corporal Newkirk, I'm very curious; how do you and your Colonel Hogan get the information you steal out of camp?"

Newkirk just glared at him, not saying a word.

"Do you have one of the guards working for you, perhaps?" Wagner asked, taking a guess.

Again, he was met by silence.

"Well, no matter," Wagner replied, dropping it. "In a few days it won't make any difference to me what you do in that camp. You see, the safe you're going to open for me belongs to a friend of my father's; a dear friend, actually." His voice took on a bitter tone, "In fact, Herr Maier is a lot like my father; which, if you knew him, you'd know that's not a compliment!" He grimaced at the thought, and then continued. "In any case, I've seen what Herr Maier keeps in his safe, and it will be more than enough to get me out of Germany, and go live anywhere I want. I hear Argentina is nice; especially this time of year."

"So that's why you want me to open that safe for you, is it?" Newkirk was beginning to understand. "But why would you want to leave? You're in the bloody Gestapo! You can do whatever you want, no questions asked! Sounds like the best job for any Nazi to 'ave."

"Is that what you think?" Wagner replied, sounding annoyed. "That I can do whatever I want? Well, it may surprise you, Corporal, but it doesn't work that way!" He could feel himself becoming angry, and his voice started to escalate. "You have no idea what it's like; being under constant scrutiny, reprimanded for every little mistake, never knowing what they're going to make you do next, forced to see things being done to people; things that are…inhuman…" His breath caught in his throat, and then he finally said what he'd been wanting to say to someone; anyone, for a very long time, "I hate it! I hate everything about the Gestapo! I hate what they stand for; I hate what they do! All I want is to get as far away from here as I can, and forget there's even a war going on!"

Newkirk was taken aback; he certainly wasn't expecting Wagner to react like this! "You sure could 'ave fooled me, mate; the way you were threatenin' me in Klink's office, and then on the way 'ere!"

Wagner looked at him, realizing how he must look to the Englander, and decided that at this point it didn't matter anymore. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "It's a matter of survival, Corporal," he responded in a calmer tone, "I've had to become a very good actor over the years, you see. When you're surrounded by monsters, you learn quickly how to act like them; otherwise, they will destroy you."

Newkirk looked back, completely confused. "If you hate the Gestapo that much, then why are you in it?"

Wagner sneered. "My father insisted. He's a General in the SS, you know. General Heinrich Wagner!" He nearly shouted; the bitterness back in his voice. "Very decorated, too! He wanted me to join the SS, of course, but I didn't fit the requirements; that is, I don't enjoy torturing and killing people. So he demanded I enlist in the Gestapo, and that's what I did." He got up and went to stand in front of the door, a look of resignation on his face. "But I made it a point to stay in the background, volunteering for the unglamorous, menial jobs that no one else wanted to do, such as office work. That's how I ended up in the files department at Berlin Headquarters." Then he grinned in self-satisfaction. "You can imagine my father's disappointment!"

Newkirk didn't know what to think by now. If Wagner was on the level, then he was like no Gestapo officer he'd ever met before! Suddenly an idea occurred to him; an outrageous idea, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Say, instead of robbin' a safe and leavin' Germany, why don't you stay and work for the Allies? They could use a contact in the Gestapo!"

Wagner looked at Newkirk incredulously. "What?" He exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Are you suggesting I become a spy?"

"Why not?" Newkirk answered encouragingly, knowing he was taking a chance.

"Because I would be deliberately putting myself in even more danger, that's why not!" Wagner shook his head. "No, Corporal Newkirk, that's not for me. Argentina sounds much better."

"It'd be a smashin' way to get back at your dad, wouldn't it?" Newkirk said, and then instantly regretted it when he saw Wagner's expression darken.

"My father would be the first one to put a bullet in my head if he ever found out I was a spy!" Wagner reached for the door and as he yanked it open, he yelled, "This discussion is over!" He stormed out of the room, closing the door loudly behind him.

Newkirk heard Wagner lock the door, and then stomp up the stairs to the floor above. _Well, that went well! _He thought sarcastically, and brought his hands up; rubbing his temples briefly with his fingers. He slapped his hands back down on his lap, then got up and started to pace. _This Wagner fella; I just can't figure him out! If he's tellin' me the truth…and he must be, if he's plannin' to make a run for it...there must be some way of convincin' him to stay and help us. _He stopped walking and shook his head. _As long as I bloody watch what I say about his father, that is! _He went over to the chair and sat down, deciding he might as well eat. _Blimey, I wish the Colonel was here! _He thought to himself as he took a bite out of the sandwich, _he's much better at persuadin' people than I am! _

About halfway through his meal, Newkirk suddenly heard something coming from the floor above. He stopped chewing and listened intently. It was music! The sound grew a bit louder, and he could tell it was a stringed instrument of some sort. _Is Wagner playing a record up there? _He thought, confused. _I thought this house didn't 'ave electricity. _The sound abruptly stopped for a moment, and then started again, picking up at a point just before the place where it had stopped. Newkirk's eyes widened as the realization hit him. _That's no record! Wagner's playin' the cello!_

So engrossed was Newkirk at the thought of a Gestapo man who could play the cello, and expertly, no less, that he didn't notice the snow that was falling outside his window. And if the house had been closer to the main road, he might also have heard a truck passing by at that very moment; on its way to Stalag Thirteen.

* * *

A/N: The cello idea was inspired by someone very dear to me; and I already know that he doesn't mind! :D


	6. words of encouragement

By the time the truck carrying Hogan and Schultz arrived back at camp, it was snowing heavily. Schultz pulled up in front of barracks two and stopped, making the distance shorter for Hogan to have to walk through the two inches of snow that had already accumulated on the ground. Before Hogan opened the door, he turned to the Sergeant in the driver's seat and said in a tired voice, "Thanks, Schultz."

"You're welcome, Colonel Hogan," Schultz answered, and feeling bad that they hadn't been successful, added, "I'm sorry we didn't find Newkirk."

"Me too," Hogan responded, and then swung open the door and jumped out. After he closed the door of the truck, he turned and headed for the barracks. As soon as he entered, he was met by the worried yet hopeful face of Carter; who had been peeking from the doorway, watching for his return.

"Find anything, Colonel?" Carter asked; his eyes wide with anticipation.

Hogan shook his head. "Nothing, Carter," he replied, watching Carter's face fall at the news. "And apparently he hasn't shown up here, either," he deduced, judging by Carter's reaction.

"No, sir," Carter responded quietly, and then looked questioningly at Hogan. "Colonel, where could he be? I mean, if he's hiding somewhere, you'd think the underground would have found him by now, cuz there's only so many places to hide, and they know pretty much all of them…"

"I'm sure he's okay, Carter," Hogan interrupted, trying to reassure him; even though he was having a hard time believing it, himself. "He's probably just holed up somewhere that the underground hasn't looked yet." He smiled and put his hand on the young Sergeant's shoulder.

Carter smiled back. "Yeah, you're probably right, Colonel," he agreed, and then his smile faltered a little, "I just wish we'd find out something soon, you know?"

"I know," Hogan answered, "And I'm sure we will, Carter. Now, where are Kinch and LeBeau?"

"Kinch is down in the tunnel, monitoring the radio," Carter told him, "And LeBeau is down there, too, sir. He brought some coffee down for Kinch, and then said he'd watch the tunnel for Newkirk for a while, so I could come up here and keep an eye out for you."

Hogan nodded. "Go tell Kinch I want to speak to him in my quarters."

"Yes, sir," Carter replied dutifully, and as he was heading over to the bunk that opened into the tunnels below, he heard Hogan add, "And tell LeBeau that I could use some of that coffee!"

"Will do, Colonel!" Carter called back when he reached the bunk.

A few moments later there was a knock on the door to Hogan's quarters, and after he called out, "Come in," Kinch opened the door and entered.

"You wanted to see me, Colonel?" Kinch asked. He had a steaming cup of coffee in his hands, which he held out to Hogan.

"Yeah, Kinch," Hogan replied, motioning for him to close the door. He thankfully took the cup from him, and asked the obvious question, "Heard anything from the underground?"

"Nothing yet, Colonel," Kinch answered. "I take it you didn't find anything out there, either."

"Not a thing," Hogan responded, dejectedly. "You know Kinch," he continued, voicing his concern to the one man under his command that he felt comfortable enough to be frank with, "I can't help feeling like something's happened to Newkirk; I just don't know if we're going to find him alive…not after all this time."

Kinch was initially surprised to hear Hogan say that, but then he knew him pretty well; he could tell how worried and frustrated he was, and he knew the Colonel felt responsible for whatever might have happened to Newkirk. And after all the time he'd served under Hogan, he also knew that even the Colonel needed a pep talk once in a while "We can't give up hope, sir," he answered, trying to sound optimistic, "I'm sure Newkirk's still alive; wherever he is."

"I'm not giving up hope," Hogan replied, "But let's face it, Kinch…you know as well as I do that if he escaped, he would have found his way back here by now. Or at least, he would have made contact with the underground. And if he's out there somewhere on his own, how long do you think he's gonna last in this weather?"

Kinch contemplated for a moment. "Colonel, you know how resilient Newkirk is; I think he could survive for a long time by himself, even in this weather. And even if the underground hasn't found him, there's a good chance that he's still okay."

Hogan searched Kinch's face, and sighed. "You're right, Kinch," he admitted, grateful once again to the Staff Sergeant for telling him what he needed to hear. "I guess I'm just tired." He set his coffee cup on the table and brought his hands up to his face; momentarily massaging his temples. "I never should have let that Captain Wagner take Newkirk out of camp! If he did something to him…" Hogan tapered off; dropping his hands and looking at Kinch; his eyes now burning with anger.

"You can't blame yourself, Colonel," Kinch told him, "There's nothing you could have done."

"Maybe not," he responded, the determination back in his voice, "But I'm gonna find Newkirk, if it's the last thing I do!"

"You mean, _we're _gonna find him, Colonel!" Kinch replied, grinning.

Hogan smiled back. "Yeah, Kinch, we're gonna find him!" Hogan turned and walked to the window, as if trying to come up with an idea. Suddenly he whirled around. "Okay, this is what I want you to do. Get on the radio and contact London; I want to know everything they have on Captain Friedrich Wagner. Then contact the underground and tell them to keep a look out for Wagner in town; he's going to have to show up there sooner or later. Tell them to follow him when he does; find out where he's going."

"Yes, sir," Kinch answered, having known without a doubt that Hogan would come up with a plan.

"Oh, and have LeBeau check over our civilian outfits; make sure they're in good shape. As soon as we find out where Wagner is hiding, we're going to pay him a little visit."

"Right away, Colonel," Kinch said, heading for the door. But as he opened it, Carter was standing on the other side, his hand raised; just about to knock.

"Colonel!" Carter called out as the door opened, "Major Hochstetter just went into Klink's office; I thought you'd want to know."

"Yeah, thanks, Carter," Hogan told him as Kinch headed out into the main barracks and made a beeline for the false-bottom bunk. "I think it's time I talked to the Kommandant, myself." He strode out of his office, flashing Carter a confident grin. Then he headed out of the barracks, and across the compound to Klink's office.

* * *

"Major Hochstetter!" Klink exclaimed as he jumped up from his seat behind his desk. "I didn't expect to see you! I thought you'd gone back to Gestapo Headquarters!"

Hochstetter eyed Klink with amusement. "No, Klink. I thought I'd better hang around here tonight and see what turns up. I'm sure you won't mind me using your guest quarters; after all, you yourself said the Gestapo is always welcome, Ja?"

"Of course, Major Hochstetter," Klink answered quickly, "My guest quarters are your guest quarters!" He smiled nervously and let out a small laugh.

"I had a feeling you would say that," Hochstetter smirked. "Tell me, Klink, have your guards found Corporal Newkirk yet?"

"Not yet, Major," Klink replied, "But I'm sure it's only a matter of time."

Suddenly the door to Klink's office opened, and they both turned their heads to see Hogan standing there. "Hey, Colonel, I…" Hogan started to say, looking at Klink, then seemed to notice Hochstetter. "Major Hochstetter! How nice to see you again! I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Hogan walked into the room and plopped down on the chair in front of Klink's desk.

"Hogan!" Klink yelled, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be confined to the barracks!"

Hogan looked at Klink curiously. "I just wanted to know if you found Newkirk yet; I heard he escaped."

"How do you know about that?" Klink sputtered.

"I overheard some of the guards talking," Hogan answered matter-of-factly.

Klink, clearly still flustered, shouted, "Hogan, you will go back to your barracks at once…"

"No, Klink," Hochstetter interrupted, "Let him stay. I want to have a word with him."

Hogan smiled up at Hochstetter. "Why, thank you, Major!" He replied graciously.

Hochstetter, ignoring Hogan's attempt at courtesy, looked at him suspiciously. "Colonel Hogan," he started, "Perhaps you can tell me what Corporal Newkirk was doing in Klink's office last night?"

Hogan appeared to think it over for a moment. "He told me he was looking for extra writing paper." He finally answered.

"Ja, that's what everyone else has told me, too." Hochstetter responded, and then leaned down to look Hogan in the eyes. "Now why don't I believe you, Colonel?" He asked, in a threatening tone.

Hogan just looked at him and shrugged.

"I'll tell you why," Hochstetter's voice was now getting louder and angrier. "Because I know he was up to something; and I know you're behind it, and I'm going to find out what!" By the time he finished, he was shouting right into Hogan's face.

Without skipping a beat, Hogan replied calmly, "Gee, how are you going to do that, Major, when you don't even know where Newkirk is?"

Hochstetter straightened up and stomped to the door. As he grabbed the knob and yanked it open, he looked back at Hogan furiously. "Bah!" He uttered loudly, and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Hogan turned his head toward Klink and stated, "I think he's angry, don't you?"

"Hogan!" Klink exclaimed, "Go back to your barracks, now!"

Hogan stood up and headed for the door. "But Kommandant," he said as he turned to look at Klink once more, "we really could use some extra writing paper."

"Out!" Klink yelled, throwing his arm up to point at the door.

* * *

Later that night, just before lights out, Kinch came up through the bottom bunk that led to the tunnel below. He saw Colonel Hogan sitting at the long table in the middle of the barracks, along with LeBeau and Carter. As he went over to join them, Hogan looked at him; a concerned expression on his face.

"I just heard from London, Colonel," Kinch said as he took a seat at the table.

"What did they tell you, Kinch?" Hogan asked.

"Well," Kinch began, "They didn't have anything on Captain Friedrich Wagner, but they did have some interesting information about his family." He looked down at the notes he'd scribbled on the pad of paper in his hand. "His mother was a concert pianist; apparently she died when he was teenager."

"What else?" Hogan replied.

"His uncle on his mother's side died about three years ago," Kinch continued.

Hogan was beginning to look impatient. "That still doesn't tell us much."

"That's not the worst of it, Colonel," Kinch told him, "His father is General Heinrich Wagner, of the SS."

LeBeau let out a whistle. "An SS General! That's not good news!"

"You've got that right, Louis!" Kinch exclaimed. "In fact, from what London told me, General Wagner's got quite a temper. He has a reputation for being especially cruel in his treatment of prisoners…and he's no picnic to work for, either."

Carter's eyes widened. "Then if Captain Wagner is anything like his father…"

"He could be holding Newkirk somewhere, and doing something terrible to him!" LeBeau exclaimed worriedly.

Hogan looked at them resolutely. "That's all the more reason we need to find him as soon as possible." He thought for a moment, and then said, "If the underground doesn't locate him by tomorrow evening, we're going to do a little reconnaissance of our own. I don't care what it takes; we've got to find Wagner…and Newkirk!"


	7. Catching more flies with honey

A/N: This chapter's a bit long, but it makes up for my last one, which was a bit short. This was also the most challenging one I've written so far; so I hope you like it!

* * *

Newkirk woke up to sunlight shining brightly into the room. As he peeked out from under the blanket and looked up at the window, he could see a small square of clear blue sky through the glass. He blinked a few times and started to sit up, initially casting aside the blanket, but the air felt especially cold this morning, so he wrapped the thick wool blanket around him instead. The cuffs on his wrists made maneuvering more difficult, but he was able to manage; although, after wearing them for so long, the constant rubbing of the metal rings had caused the skin underneath to become raw and painful. _Maybe I can talk Wagner into takin' these ruddy things off me wrists, _he thought to himself, wincing as he turned his left one with the watch on it to check the time; it was almost ten in the morning.

As he leaned back against the wall, his feet hanging over the side of the cot, Newkirk thought back to the previous evening; about his conversation with Wagner. Had he really suggested to him to work for the Allies? Did he really think he could talk him into it? _Blimey, I must 'ave been crackers thinkin' that! _But the man certainly didn't seem like the typical Gestapo type, did he? He'd taken a good look in the Captain's eyes when Wagner was telling him how much he hated his job and everything about it; not to mention how he felt about his father, the SS General, and he had believed him.

Of course, that didn't even begin to explain what a Gestapo Captain was doing playing the cello; and like a professional, no less! For over two hours Newkirk had listened to the rich, dulcet tones of the stringed instrument floating down to him from the floor above. Some of the pieces he'd recognized; those written by the more well-known composers like Bach, Haydn, and Brahms. He had his mum to thank for that; she was always dragging him to classical concerts when he was a kid. _Tryin' to make a respectable bloke out of me! _He'd thought, chuckling to himself. But there were quite a few pieces he'd never heard before, although they were some of the best works Wagner had played, and he'd actually found himself enjoying it _What kind of Gestapo man plays the cello like that? _He'd kept asking himself, but couldn't come up with an answer.

When Wagner had finished, Newkirk had thought that the Captain might come back down to his room; at least to go over some of the details about the heist he was planning. But Wagner never returned, and as the hour grew late, he finally stretched out on the cot, curled up under the blanket, and went to sleep.

And now it was mid-morning, and Newkirk found himself lost in his thoughts. _If Wagner's on the level, maybe I can talk him into workin' for us. I'll bet that's what the gov'nor would do…Cor! He must be rubbin' off on me! _He smiled at the realization._ Of course, I don't 'ave much time, do I? But if I could pull this off…imagine 'avin' a contact in the Gestapo! _He took in a big breath, and then let out a sigh, feeling his doubt creep in. _Oh, who am I kiddin'? Wagner's never goin' to listen to me. I can't believe I'm even considerin' this! _He looked up through the window and felt a pang of loneliness hit him. _Blimey, I wish I was back at Stalag Thirteen…never thought I'd miss the ruddy place so much! _He suddenly noticed his eyes watering a bit more than usual, and shook his head quickly. _We'll 'ave none of that! _He scolded himself.

Just then he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and then the latch on the other side of the door being unlocked. The door slowly opened, revealing Wagner on the other side. As he stepped into the room, the Captain kept his gun pointed at him, while setting a plate on the table next to the tray that was still there from yesterday.

"I'm afraid this is all I have left," Wagner apologized, gesturing to the small cheese sandwich on the plate. "I have to go into town today, and pick up some supplies."

Newkirk thought carefully for a moment, and then said, "I 'eard you playin' the cello last night, Captain."

Wagner looked at him with surprise. "You could hear it down here?"

"Yes, sir," Newkirk answered. "And I 'ave to say, you're very good…sounded like a professional musician was playin' up there!"

Wagner appeared to be completely caught off guard by the compliment. He walked over to the chair and sat down, all the while looking at Newkirk in confusion. "You liked it?" He finally managed to say.

"I loved it, mate!" Newkirk watched him closely as he responded, hoping he was on the right track to get the Captain to open up. "Where did you learn to play like that?"

A small light went on in Wagner's eyes, and he smiled. "My mother insisted; she was a concert pianist, and a very talented one, at that. She made sure I was taught by the best instructors."

Newkirk smiled back. "Does she still play?" He asked, interested.

Wagner's smile faded. "No, she doesn't. She died when I was seventeen."

"I'm sorry to 'ear that," Newkirk replied, his own smile disappearing; being replaced by a look of sympathy. And then, without thinking, he added, "I lost me mum, too; before the war."

Wagner looked at him strangely; not sure what to make of this Englishman who suddenly seemed so concerned about him, and willing to share personal information. He knew he should say something, so he finally blurted out, "You did? Well, I'm…I'm sorry for your loss, too."

"Thanks, mate," Newkirk responded sincerely.

Wagner was feeling very uncomfortable by now. "Yes, well, I should be getting into town soon; I have some errands to take care of."

Newkirk was sure he was getting somewhere with Wagner, and decided to try to keep him talking a little longer if he could. "Before you leave, Captain, I was just wonderin' about somethin'…"

"What's that, Corporal?" Wagner asked, obviously anxious to be on his way.

"Well, sir," Newkirk answered, "Some of the music you played last night; I recognized the earlier pieces, but not the later ones, which were the best, if you don't mind me sayin' so. I was hopin' you could tell me who wrote those?"

Wagner slowly grinned. "**I** did."

Newkirk's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh, you're jokin'! You're tellin' me you write your own music?"

Wagner was smiling ear to ear by now. "Yes, I do…you really liked them?"

"Best I've ever 'eard, mate!" Newkirk exclaimed, thoroughly impressed. "Why, with your talent, you should be playin' on the stage."

As quickly as it had appeared, Wagner's smile vanished. "That will never happen, Corporal. My father has seen to it."

Newkirk looked confused. "How could your father stop you from playin' the cello?"

Friedrich Wagner took a deep breath. "After my mother died, he told me that playing an instrument was just a foolish pastime, and I was to concentrate on my studies, so I could become a great military officer. He forbade me from playing the cello from that point on." His eyes took on a sad, faraway look as he thought back to that day, when he had finally worked up the courage to inform his father Heinrich that he didn't want to join the military; he wanted to be a professional musician. He'd been expecting the usual tongue-lashing and backhand across the face, but was determined to stand his ground this time.

Instead, his father had taken him completely by surprise; walking quickly up to him and punching him in the jaw so hard that he'd gone flying halfway across the room before landing on his back. When he'd gotten his eyes to focus and had looked up, his father was standing over him, glaring. "You'll do as you're told!" Heinrich had finally shouted, and then had stormed out of the room. That's when Friedrich knew he had no choice.

"But you didn't stop playin', did you?" Wagner heard Newkirk ask him, bringing his attention back to the present.

"For a while I did," Wagner answered, "But I started to find ways of practicing in secret, and when my uncle died three years ago, I more or less moved into this house, which had belonged to him. Fortunately, my father had long since forgotten about it."

"So now you come 'ere to play?" Newkirk prodded.

"I come here to find peace!" Wagner suddenly exclaimed, sounding exasperated. "It's the only place where I can relax; the only place where I can be free from the Gestapo, from my father, from the war…from everything!" He stood up and started to pace back and forth in the small room, never taking his eyes off of Newkirk. "And yes, Corporal, it's the only place where I can play my cello; the only thing that brings me any sort of happiness these days." Wagner stopped pacing and leaned up against the wall by the door. He took in a deep breath, let out a sigh, and continued. "It was my dream, you know; to be an accomplished cellist, playing with the symphony, travelling from city to city, like my mother used to do before she married…him!" As he said the last part, referring to his father, his face took on a look of disgust. "My father was a jealous man; he kept her like a prisoner…kept us both like prisoners. I'll give him credit for one thing; though, at least he never laid a hand on her…he saved that for me!"

Wagner grew quiet for a moment and gazed up toward the window, the faraway look appearing again in his eyes; which were now filled with sadness. "I wish you could have met my mother; she was the kindest soul that ever existed." He said at last, "Even my father was a little more human when she was here." He looked back at Newkirk; feeling his anger and frustration starting to build once again. "After she was gone, my father became crueler and more heartless than I even thought possible. He made it very clear what he had planned for me, and it didn't involve playing the cello. So now I come here and play, and I write music, and the only ones who hear it are the birds, and the squirrels, and the mice!" He walked over and grabbed the door handle. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go into town!" He yanked open the door and stomped out, just like he'd done the last time.

Newkirk sat there for a few minutes, stunned. Finally his thoughts started working again. _Blimey, it's no wonder he wants to get out of 'ere; his dad sounds like he could give ol' Hitler a run for his money! I don't think there's much chance of me talkin' him into stayin', now._

* * *

It was just after two in the afternoon when Kinch climbed up through the bottom bunk and stepped out into the barracks. He immediately noticed the Colonel sitting at the long table in the middle of the room; LeBeau and Carter seated on either side of him. He walked over quickly to join them; taking the seat next to Carter.

"Colonel," Kinch said, "I just got word from the underground. They spotted Captain Wagner in town earlier today."

Hogan, who had been unconsciously holding his breath, fearing it would be bad news again, now exhaled loudly. "That's great, Kinch! Where is he?"

Kinch looked down at his notebook. "Let's see…first, Wagner went to a jewelry store in town; owned by a fellow named Hans Maier, from what they told me. Apparently no one was there, so then Wagner went to the market and bought some groceries. Then he went to the Hoffbrau and had lunch."

"Oh, sure," LeBeau cut in, "He's out having a good meal, while Newkirk is probably starving somewhere!"

Hogan raised his hand. "Go on, Kinch," he said.

"Yes, sir," Kinch replied. "Well, after he finished eating, he ordered another meal, and had the waitress wrap it up so he could take it with him."

Carter's eyes widened. "Maybe he's taking that one to Newkirk!" He exclaimed excitedly.

LeBeau nodded. "Oui, Wagner must be keeping him somewhere!"

"All right, settle down," Hogan told them, "Let Kinch finish."

"As a matter of fact, Colonel," Kinch continued, "The agent at the Hoffbrau was able to follow Wagner when he left. He's holed up in a farmhouse about ten miles from here. The agent gave me good directions; I can show you approximately where it is on the map."

Hogan smiled. "Okay, fellas, looks like we're going out tonight! Carter, right after final roll call I want you to dress as a guard and get a truck from the motor pool. Drive it out the gate and wait for us about a quarter of a mile up the road."

"Yes, sir," Carter answered.

"Just after lights out, LeBeau, Kinch, and I will sneak out the emergency exit wearing civilian clothes, and meet you on the road. With any luck, we should get to the house by ten o'clock."

"What about Hochstetter, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"He's usually asleep in the guest quarters by then," Hogan answered reassuringly, "He'll never even know we were gone!"

_I hope you're right, Colonel! _Kinch thought to himself, while nodding at Hogan in agreement.

* * *

Newkirk heard Wagner return from town, and after a few minutes of footsteps clomping around upstairs, he heard him heading down to his room. He braced himself, not sure what to expect, when Wagner entered in his usual fashion; one hand carrying a plate with something on it that was wrapped up tightly and smelled delicious, and the other hand holding a gun. Wagner looked at the table and realized the tray was still there, along with two empty plates stacked on it. He set the new plate down next to the tray.

"I thought you could use a hot meal, Corporal," Wagner said, and then added, "I seem to have let things pile up here. I'll take care of it when you're finished." He looked at Newkirk expectantly.

But instead of rising from the cot he was sitting on and going over to the table, Newkirk asked, "Could you take these handcuffs off me, Captain? They're gettin' a might uncomfortable."

Wagner looked at Newkirk's wrists, and grimaced; by now there were a few shallow cuts under the metal where a small amount of blood was oozing out. He really hadn't intended to cause the Englander pain. "All right, I'll take them off," he told him, "But I have to go upstairs to get the key. I'll be back soon." Then Wagner left, closing and locking the door behind him.

While he was gone, Newkirk got up and went over to the table. He sat down on the chair and unwrapped the plate that Wagner had placed there. Inside he found a generous portion of Weiner schnitzel, along with some boiled potatoes and red cabbage. There was even a fork and knife on the side, and he picked them up and dug in, his hunger not letting him wait any longer.

A few minutes later Wagner returned with the key for the handcuffs, along with some disinfectant and bandages. He unlocked the cuffs, and proceeded to treat and wrap Newkirk's wrists; still keeping a wary eye on him. When he had finished, he moved back to the door.

"I'll let you finish eating, Corporal Newkirk," he stated, noticing the plate that was almost empty. "I have to get some things together, anyway. It turns out that Herr Maier has already left, so we will be going to his store tonight. I would advise you to rest up if you need it…we leave at ten o'clock."


	8. Friend or Foe?

It was just after nine p.m., and Newkirk was once again pacing back and forth in the small room where he'd been kept for the past two days. Wagner had come down to the room earlier to collect the dishes, and then had left him alone for the rest of the afternoon and evening, apparently busying himself upstairs with packing for his trip; judging by the thumps and bumps that were going on over his head. As the time approached for them to leave, Newkirk found himself becoming increasingly nervous. He certainly wasn't looking forward to helping Wagner rob a jewelry store!

Suddenly he heard footsteps crunching over the frozen snow outside the window. He stopped to listen, and heard them march in the direction of the car that was parked out front. A few moments later he heard a car door slam, then the same footsteps coming back to the house, entering through the door, and clomping down the hall upstairs. _Wagner must be loadin' up the car, _he realized. Sure enough, almost immediately the footsteps went back across the hall, out the door, and over to the car; repeating the process.

Newkirk stretched his arms out briefly to the side, then let them fall, and started pacing again. _Sure feels good to 'ave those bleedin' things off! _He thought, glad that Wagner had finally removed the handcuffs. And then his mind went back to what he'd been contemplating for a while now; trying to escape. If he stood up against the wall near the door the next time it opened, maybe he could catch Wagner off guard, grab him, knock him out, and lock him up in the room he now occupied. Then he could scarper, and be back at Stalag Thirteen before the Captain knew what hit him. But that brought up the question of the gun, and he wasn't too keen on getting shot; either accidentally or on purpose. And frankly, he didn't believe that Wagner was planning on shooting him after the heist; not after their earlier conversation. Still, it might be worth a try. Of course, there was always a chance that Colonel Hogan and the rest of the gang would find him, but since it was almost time to leave, that was becoming less and less likely.

Just then he heard Wagner coming down the steps. He moved quickly over to the wall by the door and waited; holding his breath.

The door started to open, but Wagner didn't appear immediately. Instead, he called out, "Move where I can see you, Corporal!"

_So much for that plan! _Newkirk thought to himself, and then stepped in front of the door.

Wagner smiled. He'd had a feeling that Newkirk might try something; especially now that he no longer had the cuffs on him. "It's time to go, Corporal Newkirk," he informed him, "And unless you want me to put the handcuffs back on you; I suggest you behave yourself." He motioned with his hand that held the gun for Newkirk to come out of the room, while he backed up just enough to keep out of his reach.

"Can't blame a guy for tryin'," Newkirk muttered under his breath as he walked out the door and headed for the stairs. At least he had one consolation that Wagner didn't know about. Before the Captain had taken the dishes and silverware away, he'd been able to leave a clue for Hogan; in case he discovered where Wagner had been holding him. He'd used some of the waxed paper that had been wrapped around his dinner, and scratched a crude note on it. Then he had stuffed it between the cot and the wall. Now all he could do was to hope that the Colonel would find it, if he did indeed show up after they'd gone.

As he was climbing the steps, Newkirk glanced at his watch. "Hey, Captain," he called back, turning his head slightly, "Aren't we leavin' a bit early? My watch says it's only nine-thirty."

"Since everything is ready, I didn't see any reason to wait, Corporal," Wagner answered, "Besides, a half hour won't make much difference."

* * *

It was five minutes to ten when a truck rolled up in front of the house where Wagner lived. When it had come to a stop, Hogan jumped out; followed by Kinch and LeBeau. Carter climbed out of the driver's seat, and came around to join the others. They had already noticed that the house was completely dark.

"Do you think they're sleeping, Colonel?" Carter asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know, Carter," Hogan said, "Let's go find out."

They crept up to the door, trying to keep the sound of their footsteps on the snow as quiet as possible. Once they were all there, crowded around the entrance, Hogan grabbed the doorknob, nodded to his men, and yanked opened the door. They all ran inside, taking off in different directions; their flashlights cutting through the darkness. After the rooms had been cleared, the men ended up back in the hall, clustered near the cellar door.

"Maybe we should check downstairs, sir," Kinch suggested.

"You read my mind, Kinch." Hogan pulled the door open and made his way down into the cellar, with the rest of his men following in single file. He noticed the small room right away; the heavy door that led to it standing open.

As they entered, they shined their lights back and forth, looking for any sign of their comrade.

"There's no one here, Colonel," LeBeau stated, disappointment evident in his voice. "Where could that filthy Boche Captain have taken Newkirk?"

Hogan sighed. "That's a good question. Let's look around; see if Newkirk left anything."

They started to examine the room, checking every corner, every nook and cranny, every inch of the place; looking for something that would confirm that Newkirk had been there, and maybe tell them where he'd gone.

Carter was running his hand along the back of the cot, when suddenly he felt something. "Hey, Colonel," he called out, holding his discovery up in front of his flashlight, "Look what I found!"

Hogan came over to have a look. "What is it, Carter?" He asked, looking at what appeared to be a piece of paper in the Sergeant's hand.

Carter carefully unfolded it, and shined his light directly onto the paper. "It's a piece of waxed paper, sir," he said, squinting at it, "And there's something scratched on it; looks like letters, maybe."

"Here, let me see," Hogan took the paper and scrutinized it closely under his flashlight. "It looks like a name…M…a…i…Maier! And underneath it says, J…e…w…e…Jewelry!"

"Maier's Jewelry store!" Kinch exclaimed, understanding, "That was the first place Wagner stopped in town today!" He looked at Hogan, who was nodding at him, a slow smile forming on his face.

"Do you think that's where Wagner took Newkirk?" LeBeau asked in disbelief, "But, why?"

"Yeah, Kinch," Carter piped up, "Why would Captain Wagner take Newkirk to a jewelry store? I mean, I don't think he could afford to buy anything, anyway, and besides, the store's probably closed by now."

Kinch looked at LeBeau and Carter impatiently. "Don't you get it? Wagner caught Newkirk in Klink's office with the safe open."

"So?" LeBeau retorted, wishing Kinch would get to the point.

"So maybe he decided to use Newkirk's talent for his own purpose," Kinch explained.

LeBeau's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"Yeah, Louis. I bet he's got poor Newkirk robbing the safe at Maier's jewelry store!"

"And that's exactly where we're going right now!" Hogan cut in. "Kinch, did the underground agent tell you where it was?"

"It's on the other side of town, Colonel," Kinch told him, "I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find it."

"Then let's go…there's not a minute to lose!"

* * *

"So, Corporal, I imagine you'll be happy to be back at Stalag Thirteen once we're finished, won't you?" Wagner said, glancing in his rearview mirror at Newkirk, who was riding in the back seat of the car.

Newkirk looked at the mirror and saw Wagner's eyes reflecting back. "Oh, I wouldn't say happy, sir; not about bein' in a prison camp," he answered, "But at least I'll be back with me mates."

"I take it you have a lot of friends there," Wagner commented, continuing the conversation.

"They're like me own brothers," Newkirk told him.

Wagner looked at Newkirk curiously. "And Colonel Hogan; he seemed very concerned about you when I took you away from there, didn't he?"

"Oh, he's the gov'nor, he is!" Newkirk exclaimed, "Best Commanding Officer I've ever had! He cares what 'appens to his men; tries to keep everyone safe." Then his voice grew serious. "I'd lay down my life for 'im, and I know he'd do the same for me!"

"Now, that's what I don't understand, Corporal. How you can trust someone that much; how you can actually believe that he would give his life to save yours…it doesn't make any sense to me. Most men I've met look out for themselves; they'd never consider sacrificing their own lives for anyone."

They do where I come from, mate." Newkirk thought a moment, and then added, "I take it you don't 'ave many friends, then?"

Wagner looked at him in the mirror, his eyes widening with surprise. "In the Gestapo?" He said, and then laughed out loud.

"No, I suppose not," Newkirk chuckled back.

They rode in silence for a few minutes, and then Newkirk, thinking furiously, decided once again to take a chance. "You know, the Allies are a different sort than what you're used to, Captain. If you worked for them, you'd 'ave lots of friends; ones you could depend on."

"Are you trying to talk me into becoming a spy again, Corporal?" Wagner asked him, amused. "I think you already know the answer to that."

"But you could help save lives, maybe even help shorten the war…"

"The war?" Wagner interrupted, his voice rising, "Why should I care about the war? It's made my life miserable! I just want to be free…free from the fear, free from the hatred, free from all the death and destruction, and free from that madman who is leading us to disaster!"

"But that's what everyone wants, don't you see? That's what we're bloody fightin' for!"

Wagner looked at the conviction in Newkirk's eyes, and for a brief moment, wished he could share in it. "And I hope you win," he said finally, "I really do. But you're going to have to do it without me."

* * *

They reached the jewelry store a few minutes later, riding the rest of the way in silence. Wagner parked the car behind the store and got out, moving quickly to open Newkirk's door. He kept his gun trained on the Corporal as he climbed out of the back seat.

The area was deserted, since it was past curfew, but Wagner decided to keep his voice low, just in case. "Let's go," He whispered loudly to Newkirk, motioning toward the back door of the store.

When they got up to the door, Wagner grabbed the knob and tried to turn it, already knowing that it was probably locked. He looked at Newkirk and said, "Open it."

Newkirk gave him a confused look, as if to say he had no idea how to do that, but Wagner wasn't fooled.

"If you can open a safe and the lock on a briefcase, you can open a door!" Wagner exclaimed, as quietly as he could. "Now, just do it!"

Resignedly, Newkirk reached into his pocket and took out the lock picks that he still had with him, and within seconds had the door open.

Wagner smiled and gestured with his gun for Newkirk to enter the store. He followed closely behind, telling him where to go. Even though he hadn't been there for a long time, he remembered that the safe was in the back corner office. Once they got there, he was relieved to see it in the same place it had been before.

The night was clear, and the full moon cast enough light through the window in the office that they could see the safe perfectly. Newkirk was surprised to see that it was almost identical to the one in Klink's office. _This should be a piece of cake! _He thought to himself, as he looked it over. Then he glanced back at Wagner, who nodded at him and said, "Go ahead."

Newkirk knelt down and put his ear to the door of the safe. He reached up and spun the dial lightly, to get the feel of it, then went to work. He turned it slowly, listening for the sound that told him when he'd hit the mark, and then turned it the other way, repeating the process. Within minutes he had it open, and he grabbed the handle, pulled it down, and swung the door open slowly. He looked inside and gasped; so many jewels! Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires…a veritable smorgasbord! And oh, how they sparkled where the moonlight touched them…it was mesmerizing!

Newkirk suddenly realized he was holding his breath. "Blimey…" he muttered as he exhaled, wondering if Wagner would miss a small handful of those precious beauties if they "accidentally" found their way into his own pocket.

"Okay, stand up, Corporal," Wagner said, pulling Newkirk out of his reverie.

Newkirk straightened up and looked at Wagner for a moment. "You sure you want to do this, mate?" He asked him, concern evident in his voice. "You'll be a fugitive all your life, you know."

"Why do you care, Corporal?" Wagner looked positively perplexed.

"I'd just hate to see you throw your life away, is all," Newkirk replied, realizing with some surprise that he meant it. "Besides, any bloke what plays the cello the way you do can't be all bad, can he?" He added, smiling warmly at him.

Wagner searched Newkirk's eyes and could see he was being sincere. He didn't know what to think; no one had ever cared about him like this before. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "Come with me!" He blurted out.

"What?" Newkirk exclaimed, taken aback.

"I can get you across the border, and you can go home to England!" Wagner offered excitedly. "Or you can come to Argentina with me if you want to; I'm sure you'd love it there!"

Newkirk looked at him incredulously. "You want me to come with you?" He finally managed to reply.

"It's the least I can do for you…Newkirk," Wagner responded earnestly.

Newkirk smiled at him, but he shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd just as soon go back to Stalag Thirteen."

Now it was Wagner's turn to look shocked. "But I'm offering you your freedom!"

"There's some things in this world more important than my freedom, mate."

Wagner was staring at Newkirk, trying to understand him, when suddenly they both noticed movement coming from the far corner of the room. A figure appeared; an older man dressed in plain clothes. As he approached them, they saw he had a gun in his hand, pointed in their direction. When the man had come within a few yards of them, he stopped, looking at Wagner expectantly.

Newkirk felt his heart thumping in his chest; they'd been caught! He was guessing that this was Herr Maier, who had possibly returned early, or maybe never even left at all. But when he glanced at Wagner, he noticed immediately that the Captain looked terrified, and the next words that came out of Wagner's mouth made Newkirk's blood run cold.

"Father! What are you doing here?"


	9. Crossing the line

_"Father! What are you doing here?"_

Friedrich Wagner stared at the man standing in front of him; who was pointing a gun aimed about equidistant between Newkirk and himself. He was indeed terrified, on the verge of panic; still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that his father was here in person, and had caught him in the act of robbing Hans Maier's Jewelry store.

General Heinrich Wagner stared back, scrutinizing his son, deliberately taking his time to answer. When he was satisfied with the level of fear he saw in Friedrich's eyes, he spoke.

"My dear friend Hans asked me to check on his store for him while he was away." Heinrich replied in a cool voice. "I arrived a few minutes before you, and was just about to leave, when I heard a car pull up around back. Imagine my surprise when I looked out the window and saw you! So I thought it best to stay a little longer, to find out what you were doing here." Then he turned his attention to Newkirk; a small, cold smile forming on his face. "And I see you brought a friend with you. You do plan on introducing me, don't you?"

"Yes…" Friedrich croaked out in a tiny voice, then cleared his throat and started again. "Yes, sir. This is Corporal Newkirk." He answered obediently.

"Corporal Newkirk," Heinrich echoed, his eyes seeming to look right through the Englander, making him extremely uncomfortable. "And you're from Stalag Thirteen, Ja?"

"How did you know that?" Newkirk asked, hoping the fear that was gripping him didn't show too much in his voice.

"I heard you mention it, just before I walked up," Heinrich informed him, and then asked, "Corporal, do you know who I am?"

"You're Captain Wagner's father." Newkirk responded.

Heinrich smiled wide. "Yes, I am. I'm also a General in the SS; didn't my son tell you?"

Friedrich's breath caught in his throat; _He's going to be even angrier with me when he finds out what I've been telling Newkirk about him,_ he thought, wishing now that he'd kept his mouth shut.

Newkirk stole a quick glance at Friedrich, and then back at his father. "The Captain never mentioned you, General," he answered, trying to look surprised.

Friedrich glanced back at Newkirk. _He just lied…to my father! _He thought in amazement. _Why would he do that? Is it possible? Is he…trying to protect me?_

"I presume, then," the General said, his voice escalating, "That he also didn't mention the fact that we German officers, especially in the SS, frown on Gestapo Captains that decide to rob safes and run away to Argentina!" He was shouting as he finished, then looked angrily over at his son, who was standing to the right of Newkirk.

Friedrich's mind was racing. How was he going to get himself, and Newkirk, out of this? "Father," he started, "It's not what it looks like…"

"It's exactly what it looks like!" Heinrich thundered at him. "I was standing in the corner the whole time…I saw everything!" He paused for a moment, and then in a calmer voice, continued, "Did you really think you could escape so easily? And if you did, do you know what an embarrassment that would cause for me? My own son…a deserter!" He shook his head. "You should know by now that I would never let that happen. I would hunt you down myself, if necessary, and bring you back to Germany, just so I could sit in the front row at your execution!"

Friedrich looked at his father; his eyes wide with terror. He was visibly shaking by now.

Heinrich stared at his son for a moment. "Poor Friedrich," he finally replied with mock sympathy, "I've been too soft on you, haven't I? I think it's time you came and worked for me at SS Headquarters, and I will teach you how to be a man. In fact, we can start your first lesson right now; how to conduct an interrogation." Then he moved over until he was standing a few feet in front of Newkirk.

Friedrich knew what was coming, and without thinking, blurted out. "No father; please, don't!"

Heinrich turned his head and looked at his son, his eyes narrowing. "What did you say?" He asked in a threatening voice.

Friedrich wilted under his glare, as usual, and swallowed hard. "Nothing, sir," He muttered meekly.

"That's better." Heinrich smiled coldly, and once again turned his attention to Newkirk. "So, you're a safecracker, and a very good one at that; from what I observed. Perhaps we should start with how you ever ended up in the R.A.F.; I didn't realize they were recruiting criminals."

Newkirk just looked at him. He also knew what was coming, and that nothing he said was going to change it.

Suddenly the back of General Wagner's left hand came flying across Newkirk's face, striking his cheek with a loud, Thwack! "You will answer me when I am talking to you!" He yelled tersely.

Friedrich winced; how many times had he been on the receiving end of that! _Just tell him what he wants to hear!_ He called out in his mind, wishing that Newkirk could hear him.

Newkirk's head was spinning, and the left side of his face felt like it was on fire. _Bloody Hell! _Was his only thought as he shook his head, trying to clear it. He opened his eyes, only to see the General's cold, dark eyes staring at him with satisfaction.

Heinrich could see the angry red welt that was already forming on Newkirk's cheek, and smiled. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, how did you ever learn to be a safecracker? And while you're at it, Corporal, perhaps you could tell me what really goes on at that camp of yours. I've heard a great deal about Stalag Thirteen you know; apparently there's a lot of sabotage being conducted near there. And of course, I've also heard about Colonel Hogan." He leaned in closer and stared into Newkirk's eyes. "Do you know what I suspect, Corporal? I suspect your Colonel is a spy, and I suspect you're working for him. And after some persuasion on my part, I suspect you'll tell me everything I want to know." Then he leaned back and smirked at him. "And then I'll bring Colonel Hogan in for questioning; once I'm finished with you!"

Newkirk was furious by now. "You'll get nothin' out of me, General!" He replied angrily. "And you keep your bloody hands off Colonel Hogan!"

Friedrich couldn't believe what he'd just heard; Newkirk was standing up to his father! No, not just standing up to him; he was purposely bringing his father's wrath down on him! _Why is he doing that? _He'd seen men do that before when they were being questioned; soldiers who refused to divulge the information being asked of them, even though they knew they were bringing greater punishment unto themselves. He could never understand why they didn't just tell the interrogator what he wanted to know, and spare themselves further pain. And now, Newkirk was doing the same thing. _Why? _

And then suddenly it happened; an epiphany, a light turning on in his brain, and Friedrich understood at last; the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. _He's doing it to protect his Colonel, and his friends; isn't he? He cares about them that much…_

Just then, in answer to Newkirk's outburst, Heinrich again raised his hand and swung it full force at the Corporal's face; striking the same side where he had left the previous mark. This time the General's hand hit lower, catching the side of Newkirk's mouth and cutting his lip.

Newkirk was seeing stars. He lost his balance and started to fall to his right, crashing into Friedrich, who caught him and helped him to regain his footing. He steadied himself, holding on to Friedrich's arm, and then, realizing he could taste blood in his mouth, turned his head and spit it out. Then he looked at General Wagner defiantly and retorted, "Is that the best you can do?"

General Wagner smiled cruelly at him and raised his hand for another blow. Newkirk closed his eyes involuntarily in anticipation, waiting for the next painful contact, when he heard a voice yell, "That's enough!" And realized it was Friedrich.

Newkirk opened his eyes and saw the General's arm raised to strike him, but Friedrich's hand was gripping it firmly, keeping it from completing its mission. Heinrich was looking at his son in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock. Time seemed to stand still for a moment or two, and then Heinrich's eyes narrowed and a look of pure rage came over him. He lowered his arm, causing Friedrich to let go and bring his own arm down.

"How dare you interfere!" Heinrich shouted at Friedrich. "Have you forgotten your place already?" He glowered at him, and then that horribly cold smile of his made another appearance on his face. "Perhaps I need to teach you another lesson. Since you seem so fond of this Englander, maybe I should get rid of him right now." He took a few steps back and brought his gun up; aiming it at Newkirk's head. "Playtime is over, I'm afraid," he said, "It's time for your little friend to leave." He unlocked the safety on the gun.

And then a shot rang out.

* * *

"Are we getting close, Kinch?" Hogan asked, wishing the truck could go faster.

"I think it's a little farther up this street, Colonel," Kinch answered, looking at the buildings to either side. "The agent said that it was just past the bakery…which should be coming up on our right…and there it is!" He finished, pointing at a dark building up ahead.

"All right. Carter, pull over and park here," Hogan called out to the Sergeant. "We'll walk the rest of the way. I don't want us to give ourselves away too soon."

"Okay, Colonel," Carter answered. After he had parked the truck, they all jumped out and began walking up the street towards Maier's Jewelry store.

"I just hope they're still there," Hogan murmured, loud enough for Kinch to hear.

Kinch glanced at him and nodded. He was thinking the same thing. Suddenly he heard a sound up ahead; a sort of popping noise, like a firecracker. "Did you hear that, Colonel?" He asked in a concerned voice.

They all stopped walking and looked at Hogan. "Yeah, Kinch," Hogan replied, sounding worried, himself. "That sounded a little like a gunshot, didn't it?"

"I thought so, too, mon Colonel," LeBeau said, "I think it came from just up ahead…"

"The jewelry store!" Hogan exclaimed, and then motioned everyone to get moving. "C'mon!" He called out, as he broke into a run; Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau following close behind.

* * *

Newkirk was staring at the General, whose face registered total shock. A red stain began to form on the front of Heinrich's shirt; slowly at first, then spreading rapidly. The gun fell out of his hand, and he crumpled to the ground. Newkirk then looked at Friedrich, who had his gun aimed at the spot where his father had been standing a moment ago; a tiny puff of smoke wafting from the barrel.

Newkirk looked back at Friedrich's father, then walked over to him and knelt down; putting his fingers on the General's neck to check for a pulse. There was none. He glanced up at Friedrich, whose face mirrored the shocked expression that had been on his father's a minute ago.

"Is he…?" Friedrich squeaked out.

"Yes," Newkirk said quietly, "He's dead."

"And I…I shot him…"

Newkirk wasn't sure if that was surprise he heard in Friedrich's voice, or disbelief. But one thing he _was_ sure of; he had to get him out of there.

Newkirk stood up and walked over to him, then slowly reached for the gun. "Easy there, mate," he said as he gently slid it out of Friedrich's hand. He stuffed it into his own coat pocket, then grabbed Friedrich's upper arms and looked intensely into his eyes. He could see how completely distressed Friedrich was, so he decided to speak calmly, yet firmly. "It's time to go, Captain. You don't want to be 'ere when the police show up, do you? I'll go pack up the jewels for you, and then you best take 'em and head for Argentina, straight away!" He let go of him and smiled reassuringly. "Now, you just stand 'ere, mate, and I'll be back in a tick." He started to walk away, when he felt Friedrich's hand on his shoulder, and turned back to look at him.

Friedrich looked like he wanted to say something, but was having difficulty finding the words. He stood there for a few moments staring at Newkirk; too many emotions to name flickering one by one across his eyes. At last a look of determination settled on his face, and he abruptly walked over to the safe, grabbed the handle, swung the door shut, and turned the dial. Then he walked back over to Newkirk. "I've decided to stay," he told him matter-of-factly, "I want to work for the Allies."

Newkirk's eyes widened; he certainly wasn't expecting that! "Are you sure about that, mate?"

"I'm sure." Friedrich replied with conviction. "Tell me what I need to do."

Just then the back door burst open, and Colonel Hogan came running in with his gun drawn, flanked by Kinch and LeBeau on one side; Carter on the other. "Newkirk!" Hogan called out, relieved upon seeing his Corporal alive. Then, spotting Wagner, he pointed his gun at him and yelled, "Step away, Captain!"

Newkirk, who was obviously elated to see them all, also instantly realized that they still thought the Captain was out to harm him. He stepped in front of Wagner and shouted, "No Colonel, it's okay! Captain Wagner's our friend; he wants to help us!"

Hogan stopped and looked at Newkirk, stunned. "What are you talking about, Newkirk?"

"Colonel," Carter spoke up, suddenly noticing Friedrich's father not far from where he was standing, "There's a man lying on the floor over here…I think he's dead."

Hogan glanced over at the body, and then back at Newkirk. It was at that point he noticed Newkirk's face, and the large bruise covering almost the entire left side of it. "What happened?" He asked, extremely concerned by now.

Newkirk took a deep breath and started talking. He filled them in as quickly as possible, ending with; "And the Captain here, he saved my life! And now he wants to work for us. Just think, Colonel…a contact in the Gestapo!"

Hogan looked at Wagner, his expression revealing that he still had his doubts. "Is this true?" He asked him.

"Yes, Colonel Hogan," Wagner answered sincerely, "Although I'm not sure how to get myself out of the trouble I'm in right now." He glanced at his father's body, and then back to Hogan.

Hogan thought it over for a moment. It did appear that Wagner wanted to help, but could he trust him? Newkirk seemed to think so, and he knew how hard it was to win over the Corporal's trust. Not to mention the fact that Wagner had shot his own father to save Newkirk…

"Don't worry, Captain; I think we can take care of this." Hogan finally replied, making his decision. "And I want to thank you for what you did for Newkirk. Any friend of his is a friend of mine." He held out his hand, waiting for Wagner to take it.

Wagner reached out and shook Hogan's hand gratefully. "Thank you, Colonel."

Just then Kinch stepped up. "That goes for me, too, Captain." He said as he also shook Wagner's hand.

"Oui, thank you, Captain." LeBeau shook it next.

Carter was the last one to shake hands with Wagner. "Yeah, Captain, thanks for saving my buddy Newkirk, here!" He exclaimed, smiling broadly at him. "I don't know what I'd…I mean, what we'd do without him!"

Newkirk watched the whole exchange taking place and smiled. _Wagner's got some real friends, now. _

When they were finished, Hogan looked at the group clustered around him inside the jewelry store. "Okay," he said, "Here's what we're gonna do."


	10. A new contact

Sorry my last chapter took so long, but I've been "Proofreading" some "Court proceedings" all this past week! ;D Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

* * *

Hogan glanced quickly around the jewelry store. "Okay," he said, "First, we need to mess up the place a little; make it look like someone was just starting to rob it before he got interrupted by General Wagner. LeBeau, Carter, you two can take care of that."

"You want me to open the safe, Colonel?" Newkirk asked.

"No," Hogan replied, "I want to make it look like the thief took off after shooting the General. No sense making this more complicated than it needs to be." Hogan then looked at Wagner. "Captain, I need you to give me your gun."

"I've got it, sir," Newkirk said, then pulled the gun out of his pocket and handed it to Hogan.

Wagner looked a little concerned. "Why do you need my gun, Colonel?"

"We need to hide it someplace where the SS will never find it, don't we?"

Wagner nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course." He replied. He was still new to all of this, but he could instantly tell that Colonel Hogan knew what he was doing.

"All right," Hogan continued, addressing Wagner, "As soon as my men are done here, we'll leave and head back to camp; except for Newkirk, who will be staying with you. I want you to give us a ten minute head start, and then phone the local police."

"You want _me_ to call the police?" Wagner asked, surprised.

"Yes, Captain. You're going to tell them that you'd just finished capturing a missing prisoner, and were on your way to take him back to his Stalag, when you decided to drop by the Jewelry store to see your father, who had mentioned to you that he'd be here. But when you arrived, you found that he'd been shot, and the killer had escaped."

Wagner nodded, his amazement steadily growing over the cleverness of this American Colonel. _If I'm going to be a spy, _he thought to himself, _I couldn't have picked a better man to learn from!_

"Colonel," Newkirk piped up, "The Captain's got some bags in his car that he was plannin' to take with 'im to Argentina."

"Just some clothes, and a few mementos…and my cello." Wagner said.

Hogan's eyes widened a little. "Your cello?"

"Oh, he's a professional, he is!" Newkirk exclaimed, beaming at Wagner. "I've 'eard him play, sir; he's the best! Even writes his own music!"

Wagner looked back, blushing a little. "Thanks, Newkirk," he said, sounding embarrassed.

Hogan glanced at Newkirk, then back at Wagner, dumbfounded. _What the heck's been going on at that house for the past two days? _He was about to start asking questions, when he realized that it could wait; they needed to take care of the business at hand. "We can discuss this later," he finally said, shaking his head. He turned his attention back to Wagner. "I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll take the bags out of your car, and put them in the truck. Then we'll drop them off at your house on our way back to Stalag Thirteen."

Just then LeBeau and Carter came back to join the group.

"All finished, Colonel," LeBeau informed Hogan.

"Yeah, Colonel," Carter added, "And I think we did a pretty good job, too!"

"I'm sure you did." Hogan reassured them both, and then said, "Now, why don't you bring the truck up here and park it next to Wagner's car? We've got some things to transfer from it to the truck, and then we're leaving. Kinch, give 'em a hand, will you?"

"Yes, sir," They said in almost perfect unison.

As they left, Hogan again addressed Wagner. "After the police let you go, you head straight for Stalag Thirteen. Once you get there, you can inform Colonel Klink and Major Hochstetter that you've recaptured Newkirk here."

Wagner breathed in sharply. "Major Hochstetter is there?"

"Yes, but don't worry, we'll tell you how to handle him."

"That's right, Captain," Newkirk piped up, "We've done it lots of times! I'll even 'elp with makin' up a good story of how you captured me!"

Wagner was overwhelmed by now. "All right, I'll do as you say."

"Good." Hogan responded, then turned, and left to join the rest of the men, who had just about finished loading up the truck. A few minutes later, Wagner and Newkirk watched as Hogan, Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau climbed into the truck, and headed out.

* * *

Several hours later, as Captain Wagner was approaching Stalag Thirteen, he couldn't help thinking once again about everything that had transpired that evening. He had to admit that he felt somewhat sorry for what he'd done. He'd never killed anyone before, and to have it be his own father! But he just couldn't let his father's reign of terror continue; it had to stop. And he certainly wasn't going to let him shoot Newkirk!The thing that surprised him the most; however, was that, now that his father was gone, he had found a sense of strength and purpose in himself that he never knew was there. He had to believe that he'd done the right thing.

And he'd found out something else about himself; he actually did have some acting talent, judging by how easy it had been to convince the local authorities of his version of what had happened. He'd even managed to produce some real tears for his deceased father, which had elicited sympathy from the police. He knew that the SS would get involved, and quickly, but he had confidence now that he could fool them, too. It looked like he might have what it took to be a good spy, after all.

After he passed through the gate, Wagner pulled up in front of Klink's office and stopped. He got out of the car and, spotting Sergeant Schultz, waved him over.

"Go get Colonel Klink, Sergeant," Wagner ordered, "I need to speak to him immediately." He then went to open the back door of the car, helping Newkirk get out, who had handcuffs on again. They'd been necessary to keep their story believable.

"Newkirk!" Schultz exclaimed, glad to see that the Englander was alive. "Captain, you found him!"

"Yes I did, Sergeant," Wagner said, "That's why I need to see Colonel Klink."

"Yes, sir, right away, sir!" And then Schultz hurried off to wake the Kommandant.

"Sorry about the handcuffs," Wagner told Newkirk when Schultz was out of hearing range, "I hope they're not too tight."

"It's all right, mate," Newkirk flashed him a smile, "I've been through worse!"

A few minutes later Klink came stomping out of his quarters, mumbling, "Why does everything always have to happen at one o'clock in the morning?" He walked up to Wagner and stopped. "So, I see that you've found Corporal Newkirk; good work, Captain. Major Hochstetter will want to know about this. I've already sent Sergeant Schultz to get him."

Just then the door to barracks two opened, and Hogan emerged, instantly spotting the small cluster of men in front of Klink's office. He pulled the collar of his jacket up, and strode purposely over to them; a puzzled expression on his face.

Klink was the first one to spot him. "Colonel Hogan, what are you doing out of the barracks; and at this time of night?"

"I heard some commotion going on out here, Colonel, and I was curious. I wanted to find out if…" Hogan appeared to suddenly notice Newkirk standing there. "Newkirk! You're okay! Where have you been?"

"I'm still trying to determine that, Hogan." Klink answered impatiently.

Hogan looked closer, and suddenly gasped, "What happened to your face, Newkirk?"

Klink looked at Newkirk and saw what Hogan was referring to. "Yes, I see it, too. What did happen to your face, Corporal?"

"I'm sure I can explain, once Major Hochstetter arrives, Colonel." Wagner said.

"Yes, I'm sure you can," Klink agreed, "So, Hogan, why don't you go back to your barracks, and…"

Before Klink could finish, they all heard footsteps approaching, and a familiar voice growl, "Colonel Klink! Why are you conducting this business outside? You should be in your office, along with the rest of these men, and…" Hochstetter trailed off when he realized that one of the men was Hogan. "What is this man doing here?" He yelled, his voice reverberating throughout the entire camp.

Klink visibly shrunk, and spoke in a small voice, "He just came over from the barracks, Major. He wanted to see if we'd found Corporal Newkirk, which, as you can see, we have!"

Hochstetter, still fuming, looked at Klink, then at Newkirk, then at Wagner. "Klink," he stated in a more controlled voice, "Let's discuss this in your office. Now!"

"Of course, Major Hochstetter!" Klink motioned to the stairs leading to the porch in front of his office, "Please, after you!"

Hochstetter glared at him for a moment, and then headed for the stairs, the rest of the group following behind. They made their way, single file, into Klink's office. Hogan, who was last in line, shut the door behind him, and just stood there in front of it. Klink went to stand behind his desk, Hochstetter picked a spot near the window, and Wagner and Newkirk took their places on the other side of the desk, facing the Kommandant and the Gestapo Major. Before they got started, Wagner took a few moments to remove the handcuffs from Newkirk's wrists. When he was finished, Hochstetter spoke.

"All right, Captain Wagner, I want to know what happened! Where did you find this prisoner? And where has he been all this time?"

"I found him at an abandoned barn a few miles out of town, Herr Major," Wagner stated. "When he saw me approach, he made a run for it, but I caught up to him. We struggled, and he knocked the gun I was carrying out of my hand. It fell into a ravine, I'm afraid."

"Ja?" Hochstetter seemed engrossed in the tale. "Then what happened?"

"I had to subdue him, myself." Wagner continued. "After I punched him a few times, he surrendered."

"It's true, sir," Newkirk piped up, "Captain Wagner 'ere, he got the best of me, he did! If I'd known he was so strong, I wouldn't 'ave put up such a fight!"

Hochstetter seemed impressed. "Well, Captain, I must say, you did an excellent job re-capturing this prisoner." He remarked, admiring what he presumed to be Wagner's handiwork on Newkirk's face. "Perhaps I should consider having you transferred to a more active section of the Gestapo."

"That's very generous of you, Major," Wagner began, "But I would prefer to stay where I am for now. You see, there's something that's happened, and I think I will need time to…" He paused, swallowing hard and letting his eyes tear up a little, "To overcome my grief…"

"What are you talking about, Captain?" Hochstetter demanded.

As if on cue, the phone rang, and before Klink could pick it up, Hochstetter grabbed it.

"Hello, this is Major Hochstetter speaking…Ja, there is a Captain Wagner here…what's that? You need him at the police station? There are some SS officers that wish to speak to him? What about? General Wagner…yes, I've heard of him. He was what?" There was a long pause in the office while Major Hochstetter listened intently to the caller on the other end. "Oh, I see," Hochstetter said at last, "Yes, I'll send him immediately. Heil Hitler!"

Hochstetter hung up the phone and looked at Wagner. "Yes, well," he replied uncomfortably, "That was the police; they told me what happened, and I can understand why you need some time, Captain."

"Thank you, Major." Wagner responded.

"Well, what happened?" Klink asked, confused.

"Captain Wagner's father was killed in town tonight by an unknown assailant. He was a well-known SS General. The police and the SS are investigating." Hochstetter looked at Wagner with a smidge of sympathy. "I am sorry, Captain. I admired your father a great deal."

Wagner nodded. "I appreciate that, Major Hochstetter."

"Anyway," Hochstetter said in his business-as- usual voice, "They need you at the station, so you better get going."

"Yes, Major. Thank you, Major." Wagner saluted, and after it was returned, he left.

"That's terrible, what happened to his father!" Klink exclaimed after Wagner had gone.

"Yes, it's terrible," Hochstetter responded, "But I believe we still have some business to take care of, don't we?"

"Oh, yes, Major Hochstetter, you mean Newkirk, don't you?" Klink looked at the Englander suspiciously. "So, where have you been all this time, Corporal?"

"Klink!" Hochstetter yelled, "I'll ask the questions here!" He walked over to stand in front of Newkirk. "So, where have you been all this time, Corporal Newkirk?"

Newkirk appeared intimidated. "Just where Captain Wagner found me, Major," he told him. "I've been hidin' out in that ruddy barn for two days; hungry and cold, mind you, just tryin' to figure a way to escape."

"Then why did you run away from Captain Wagner in the first place?" Hochstetter asked, glaring at him.

"Well, I," Newkirk answered nervously, "I didn't want to go to Gestapo Headquarters, now, did I? I mean, all for just wantin' some paper to write a letter on."

"See?" Hogan spoke up. "I told you, Major. He was just looking for some paper."

"Yes, Major," Klink added, "I really don't see what all this fuss is about; it's just paper!"

Major Hochstetter whirled around and looked at Klink menacingly. "Klink! Stay out of this!" He yelled. Then he turned back to Newkirk. "The next time you want paper to write on, Corporal, why don't you try asking for it?"

"I will, Major," Newkirk answered quickly, "I promise!"

Hochstetter tossed one more glance at Klink, and then turned and stormed out of the room, practically knocking Hogan out of the way of the door. When he had left, Hogan looked at Klink and said, "He forgot to say, 'Auf Wiedersehen.'"

"Hogan!" Klink shouted, and then looked at Newkirk. "Corporal Newkirk, you're getting thirty days in the cooler for this!" Then he yelled for Schultz, who was in the outer office.

Hogan gave Klink his best puppy dog look. "Aw, c'mon, Kommandant, thirty days is too long! Make it two days." He beseeched him.

"Thirty days and that's final!"

Just then Schultz entered. "You wanted me, Kommandant?" He asked.

"Yes, Schultz, I want you to take Newkirk here to the cooler, right now!"

"Yes, sir," Schultz answered. "Come on, Newkirk, let's go."

"And as for you, Hogan," Klink said to the Colonel.

"Yes, sir?" Hogan replied, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"Dismissed!"

Hogan looked at Klink with a disappointed expression on his face. He gave him a sloppy salute, and left the office, not waiting to see if Klink had returned it. He hurried to catch up to Schultz and Newkirk.

"What are you doing, Colonel Hogan?" Schultz asked when he saw Hogan come up next to him.

"I just wanted to talk to Newkirk, here," Hogan said, "I haven't seen him in two days, you know!"

Schultz shook his head. "Nein, Colonel Hogan, it is not allowed."

"Please, Schultz? There's a chocolate bar in it for you." Hogan pulled a candy bar out of his pocket and waved it in front of the Sergeant.

Schultz eyed it hungrily. "All right, five minutes…but that's all!"

"That's fine, Schultz."

* * *

After Schultz had locked Newkirk in the cell, he left to stand guard outside, letting Hogan talk to the Corporal in private. Hogan looked at Newkirk through the bars, and smiled.

"Don't worry, Newkirk, I'll get Klink to let you out in a few days."

"I hope so, Colonel. I'm gettin' a bit tired of bein' cooped up like a bloody zoo animal!"

Hogan chuckled, and then grew serious. "You really think we can trust Wagner?"

Newkirk nodded. "Yes, sir. I know we can." Suddenly his eyes opened wide. "Colonel, there's one problem I 'aven't mentioned yet."

"What's that, Newkirk?"

"Well, sir, Wagner's still in hot water over that information that we go from him two weeks ago. It might cause trouble for him at Berlin Headquarters, where he works."

Hogan thought it over for a minute. "Don't worry," he said at last, "I think his superiors will ease off when they receive a phone call tomorrow from a certain Major Teppel, informing them that the Abwer has captured the spy responsible for the information that was stolen."

Newkirk smiled. "You think of everythin', don't you, sir?"

"That's why I'm a Colonel!" Hogan smiled back, and then remembered something he'd been meaning to ask about. "So, Newkirk, you seem to have become pretty friendly with Wagner, haven't you?"

"He's a good man, Colonel." Newkirk answered.

"Yes, and I understand he plays the cello?"

Newkirk smirked. "It's a long story."

"I look forward to hearing it when you get out of here, Newkirk."

Newkirk looked at Hogan, a mischievous grin forming on his face. "You know, Colonel, Wagner offered to take me with him to Argentina. I could be sittin' on a beach somewhere, talkin' to a pretty senorita, gettin' a tan…"

Hogan cut in. "But instead, you're stuck in the cooler."

Newkirk's grin faded. "Yeah. Pity, ain't it?"

Just then Schultz appeared. "Colonel Hogan, it's time to go."

"All right, Schultz." Hogan said, looking at the Sergeant. He started to follow the guard out, and then glanced briefly over his shoulder at Newkirk. "Glad to have you back, Newkirk," he called out.

"Glad to be back, sir," Newkirk replied, and then added, "Good night, Colonel."

* * *

As Hogan walked back to the barracks, he couldn't help thinking about the fact that Newkirk had single-handedly made a new contact for them; in the Gestapo, of all places! He shook his head in amazement and chuckled, then spoke out loud, even though there was no one around to hear him.

"Will wonders never cease!"

The End


End file.
